One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 95
SERMON XCV. Of Christs Miſsion to the Office of a Mediatour.
JOHN 17.18.
As thou haſt ſent me into the world, ſo alſo have I ſent them into the world.
HAving conſidered of the Coherence of this Text with the preceding. We come now to the Argument, or Matter itſelf, and that is taken from the peculiar Relation and Office, that they are put in.
Now this their Office is deſcribed,
1. From the Nature and Quality of it, It's a ſending. They did not of themſelves intrude into it, or goe without a Call, but they were ſent.
2. There is the Efficient Cauſe, or the Perſon ſending, I ſent them (ſaith Chriſt.)
3. There is the Subject, who were ſent, and that is the Diſciples.
4. The Term to which, of their ſending, and that is into the world.
Laſtly, Here is the Example and Patern, Even as the Father ſent me into the world. Not that there is the ſame likeneſſe in every particular, but in the generall, they both agree in this, that they have a Call from God.
I ſhall treat in order, and firſt begin with Chriſts miſſion, which is made the Patern of the Apoſtles, and do obſerve,
That Chriſt was ſent of the Father, and did not of himſelf undertake that Office, Obſerv. Chriſt was ſent of the Father, and did not of himſelf undertake that office; he was imployed in, while on the earth.he was imployed in, while on earth. Chriſt himſelf would not be the Prophet, Prieſt or King of his Church without a Call, or Commiſſion from the Father thereunto. Hence in John's Goſpel, he doth ſo exceeding often mention this, That his Father ſent him, ſtill reſolving his Doctrine, his Authority, his Will and Works into him that ſent him. Therefore not only the twelve Apoſtles are called ſo, but Chriſt himſelf is called an Apoſtle, Heb. 3.1 Conſider the Apoſtle and High-prieſt of our profeſſion, Chriſt Jeſus. An Apoſtle is as much as one that is ſent; and thus Chriſt is there called an Apoſtle; and therefore ſome make a myſtery in that John 9.7. when Chriſt cured the blinde man, he bids him, Goe and waſh in the pool of Siloam, which is by interpretation ſent, ſaith the Evangeliſt, as if hereby our Saviour would teach, that he was the Meſſias, that was to be ſent into the world. That our Saviour did expect a ſending, or a Call, appeareth notably Heb. 5 4. No man taketh this honour upon himſelf, but he that is called, ſpeaking of the Prieſthood;Of Chriſts Commiſſion conſider theſe things. and ſo alſo Chriſt glorified not himſelf to be made an High-prieſt.
But let us explain this, for this truth is profitable unto us, ſeeing it was for us, that he was ſent. And
Firſt, Conſider, that though the three Perſons are equal in Nature and Dignity, they are all God and infinitely bleſſed for evermore, yet the Scripture doth repreſent unto us an order in their operations ad extra to us-ward, eſpecially in the work of our Redemption, one operation is appropriated to the Father, another to the Son, and another to the holy Ghoſt. To the Father is conſtantly applied the ſending of Chriſt his Sonne into the world, as at the ſecond verſe of this Chapter, Gal. 4.4. In the fulneſs of time God ſent forth his Son; and 1 John 4.9. it's the Father that ſends him: So that the original of all our peace and ſalvation is the love of the Father.
2. That which is appropriated to the Sonne, is to be ſent; To be the Perſon that ſhall procure our Redemption. And
3. To the holy Ghoſt, that he is ſent both by the Father and the Son, for the application of thoſe benefits which he ſhall procure for us: Therefore the Father is ſaid to ſend him, Joh. 14.16. and Chriſt ſaith, He will ſend him, Joh. 16 7. Thus he is called, The Spirit of Chriſt, as well as the ſpirit of God, becauſe now he is ſent by Chriſt as a Mediator. The holineſs in Adam was wrought by the Spirit of God, as the third Perſon in the Trinity, abſolutely conſidered, but now it cauſeth holineſs in believers, relatively as the Spirit of Chriſt; So that in Gods diſpenſations about mans ſalvation, there is an appropriated order in the operations of the three Perſons.
Secondly, The miſſion or ſending of Chriſt here ſpoken of, doth not relate to him, as the ſecond Perſon, but as he is Mediator, for ſo as he is the Son of God, he is not ſent but begotten, And thus the Scripture when it ſpeaks of him in that reſpect, calleth him, The only begotten Son of God; but this miſſion is in time, and of a voluntary diſpenſation, whereas the other was natural and of eternity, Chriſt was alwayes the Sonne of God, but not alwayes ſent to be the Mediatour of his Church, unleſs in the purpoſe and decree of God: So that this ſending of Chriſt reſpects him as God and man, and denoteth that incarnation of his, with the diſcharge of all thoſe duties, that thereby he undertook.
Thirdly, Gods ſending of him, doth ſignifie the authoritative Miſſion and calling of him to that work. The Apoſtle diligently preſſeth this, Heb. 5.5. that Chriſt glorified not himſelf, but was called by God to his Prieſthood, called of God to be … Prieſt after the order of Melohiſedech; yea Ch. 7.21. the Apoſtle preſſeth this, that he was made an High-prieſt by an oath, The Lord ſware, and will not repent, thou art a Prieſt for ever: And certainly, this muſt needs be of great comfort to us, when we ſhall reade that Chriſt was ſo ſolemnly inveſted with this power to forgive ſins, to ſanctifie our natures, to procure our ſalvation. Things that are done by thoſe that have not a Call, are ſaid to be null and invalid, they have not powerful efficacy and ſucceſs, but Chriſt was authorized by God to be thy Saviour, he had his Commiſſion to do it, he would not take this work in hand, till he was called unto it.
Fourthly, The Father did not only call him thus to this wonderfull imployment, but he did qualifie and fit him with all abilities for that work, he poured out his Spirit upon his humane nature without meaſure. So that as thoſe in the Old Teſtament, when called to any Office were anointed: Thus Chriſt had not a temporal, but a ſpiritual Unction, Pſal 45.7. there God is ſaid to anoint him with the oyl of gladneſs; Therefore Joh. 6.27. the Father is ſaid to have ſealed him to this work. Thus Chriſt acknowledgeth, when he ſaith, a body thou haſt prepared for me; the meaning is, he had an univerſal fitneſs for the work; and this alſo is of great comfort, that Chriſt is not only called to be our Saviour, but he is qualified with all ſufficiency thereunto; there is nothing that a poor humbled ſinner could deſire in a Saviour, but there is a treaſury of it in him, Col. 1. It pleaſed the Father that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell: Oh then, why do not the people of God believe more firmly, and walk more comfortably? What do they want, which is not in this Chriſt? Shall Chriſt ſend his Officers to work, and endue them with proportionable power, and ſhall not the Father ſend him with all fitneſs and fulneſs to that work?
Fifthly, In that Chriſt is ſaid to be ſent, there is implied, that the fountain from which our ſalvation doth ariſe, is the meer good-will and pleaſure of God the Father. So that although our Juſtification, Sanctification and Glorification be to be attributed to the merits of Chriſt, and it's for Chriſts ſake that we enjoy them, yet the ſending of Chriſt into the world, and giving him to become our Mediator, is wholly from the abſolute good pleaſure of God; Chriſt did not merit his Incarnation, he did not merit that he ſhould be ſent into the world: No, this is ſaid to be Gods love; Not that hereby we are to make compariſons, as if the ſecond Perſon loved us leſſe then the firſt, as the Socinian would divide, but to admire the great love of either in their diſtinct operations. That conceit alſo is vain of ſome, that ſay, God upon the fore ſight of the will of Chriſts humane nature, to become our Saviour, and preſuppoſing this determinate choice, did therefore appoint him to be our Mediator: This, they think, will reconcile Chriſts neceſſary Obedience, and his free-will together; but then the Scripture would not have attributed it to Gods love, and to the Fathers love, but Chriſts love as a man, which yet it doth not.
Sixthly, In that Chriſt is ſaid to be ſent, there is implied, that he is under an Office and Obligation of faithfulneſs and truſt. So that as it lay upon the Apoſtles faithfully and diligently to accompliſh their Office; thus alſo it did upon Chriſt, and therefore he doth ſo often call it the command, that he had from the Father, implying, that if he did not accompliſh all that for which he was ſent, he ſhould be guilty of unfaithfulneſs and diſobedience; and here alſo is contained much conſolation; for why ſhould the believer doubt of Chriſts willingneſs and readineſs to pardon, ſanctifie or heal him, ſeeing that Chriſt is under a command to do this, he is betruſted with this work, he would be found blame-worthy, if he did not accompliſh all that he was call'd unto? As it's thy duty to believe in him, ſo he hath voluntaily ſubmitted, to make it his duty, to give thee reſt and eaſe.
Seventhly, Though Chriſt be ſent, and be thus under command, yet we are not to think that this is done againſt his will, as if the Father did compell him to this work againſt his deſire: No, how readily doth he profeſs his coming into the world, Loe, I come to do thy will, O Lord, thy Law is within my heart? Pſal. 40.8. So that though the work was bitter to the humane nature, which appeared in thoſe prayers he poured forth with ſo much agony, If it be poſſible, let this Cup paſs away, yet he offers himſelf with all willingneſs to do this work: Oh no wonder, if this diſpenſation be called a myſtery, not only in reſpect of the revelation of it, but alſo, becauſe of the incomprehenſibleneſs of it, we are never able to comprehend this length, and breadth, and depth of love which is in Chriſt Jeſus.
Eighthly, We may conſider of a two-fold Office Chriſt was ſent to, which yet cannot be well diſtinguiſhed, becauſe one is contained in the other.
1. There is the Office of a Mediator, whereby he was ſent to be a Saviour of his people from their ſins; and this is the ſending the Scripture ſo much ſpeaks of.
But 2. There is a ſending as a Prophet, to teach and guide his Church, and of this kinde of ſending the text ſpeaks; for we may not think that this is the meaning, that as the Father ſent Chriſt to redeem the world and purge it from it's iniquities, ſo the Apoſtles were alſo ſent to be Redeemers and Saviours; but as Chriſt was to be the great Prophet, whom the Father would ſend to be a light to the world, ſo he did appoint the Apoſtles, as ſubordinate lights, to take away the ignorance and prophaneneſs that was in it. Chriſt then is ſent as the great Doctor and Teacher of his Church, who doth not only externally teach, but internally, by giving a ſeeing eye, and an underſtanding heart.
Theſe things are implied in Chriſts Miſſion, now let us conſider the Properties of it.
The neceſſity of Chriſts being ſent.And firſt, Take notice of the neceſſity of it. Had not the Father ſent his Son into the world, there had been no difference between the damned Angels and mankinde: The world had been an hell, though the world had many Platoes and Ariſtotles, many Alexanders and Caeſars, yet all this is nothing, if Chriſt had not been ſent into the world: Oh then, look upon this, as the foundation of all truth and conſolation, Chriſt is ſent into the world! We could not have had a drop of comfort, any more then Dives in hell a drop of water, had not Chriſt been ſent into the world.
2. The mercy, grace and goodneſs of God, that it was his only begotten Sonne he ſent. He ſent Prophets, and he ſent divers Meſſengers, but never was ſuch mercy, as when he ſent his Son, Heb. 1. The very Angels, though the benefit of his ſending did not directly belong to them, yet for this they ſing, Glory be to God on high, on earth peace, and good-will towards men. Though God is good in giving food and raiment, in creating the world for us, yet all come ſhort of ſending his Sonne to us.
3. Chriſts Miſſion is the original and root of all the Church Miſſion that is. As the Father hath ſent me, ſo I have ſent you. So that Chriſt being ſent, is thereby made the head of his Church; all Church-power is ſeated in him, as the original, and therefore all the Miſſions of Church-officers now, is reduced to this, as the fountain of all; Therefore they are the Miniſters of Chriſt, the Embaſſadours of Chriſt, they adminiſter all things in his Name, and every thing is done by his Authority. It's diſputed in Politiques, In whom all civil power is immediately and originally ſeated, whether in the people, or no, or in the ſupream Officers? But here in Divinity about Church-power, the Scripture doth eaſily reſolve it, Mat. 28.18, 19, 20. All power is given me in heaven and in earth; Therefore he appoints Officers and Ordinances in his Church, and ſo the Miniſters of God have their Church-power from Chriſt. Though the people may chooſe and deſign the man, and Church-officers put him into the Office, yet the Office and Power it ſelf is of Chriſt.
4. Take notice of the compleatneſs and perfection of this Miſſion, Heb. 1.1. God who at ſundry times ſpake by his Prophets, and by ſeveral w…yes, doth now ſpeak only by his Son. So that ſince Chriſts miſſion, we are not now to expect any other extraordinary miſſions, Chriſt he came as the fulneſs of all; and as he ſaid, That all thoſe who went before him, were thieves and robbers, viz. who pretended to be the Chriſt, and did not come in his Name, ſo all thoſe are that ſhall come after, which come not in his Name; What a ſad judgement are the Jews, once the people of God, delivered up unto, that look ſtill for a Meſſias to be ſent, and ſo have a veil upon their eyes and their hearts?
5. Conſider the ſeaſonableneſs of the time when he was ſent, Gal. 4.4. Its called the fulneſs of the time. When the Church of the Jews was become like a wilderneſs or a dunghill, when all the former Prophets were forgotten, when there was an univerſal blackneſs upon the Church, then Chriſt was ſent: Even as Moſes was ſent to the people of Iſrael, when their oppreſſion was doubled. God ſent Chriſt ſeaſonably.
Laſtly, Conſider the manner of his ſending, it was in an humble, low and contemptible way in the eyes of the world, none took him to be the Meſſias, to be the light of the world; Though he was ſent, how few did believe in him, becauſe of the outward meannes in his way? And ſome think the Prophet alludeth to this, Iſa. 8.6. They refuſe the waters of Shiloah that go ſoftly. They neglected Chriſt, and looked to external power and glory.
Ʋſe 1. Is Chriſt ſent by the Father, then take heed how you refuſe him? The Apoſtle aggravateth this, Heb. 10.28. We may refuſe men for their errours, their falſities; We may pretend many excuſes, but how can you reject Chriſt ſtill ſpeaking by his Word to you?