Exposition of John 17, Exposition · Part 6
John 17.1.
That thy Son may alſo glorifie thee.
SO we have done with the two firſt particulars conſidered in our Saviours Prayer, ſo far as it concerns himſelf, the riſe of it from whence he takes occaſion to preſent it to his Father, together with the matter of it, or the thing which he deſireth of the Father, That he may be glorified.
And we are now arrived at the third and laſt, the Reaſons with which he preſſeth, and enforceth this requeſt of his, and they are many, and of great importance. The firſt is taken from the end, why he deſireth to be glorified, or to have glory from the Father, viz. that he might be enabled to bring glory to the Father; Father glorifie thy Son, that thy Son alſo may glorifie thee. The ſecond Argument is drawn à congruo, from the congruity; it was but meet and congruous that he ſhould be glorified, or that he ſhould have glory from the Father, ſeeing he had power from him. He had received power from him, and therefore it was fit that he ſhould have glory too; for power and glory ought to go together: And therefore on this ground our Saviour urgeth it, you ſee; Father glorifie thy Son, as thou haſt given him power over all fleſh.
As thou haſt given him power, ſo be prevailed withall to give him glory too, the concomitant of power. The third is drawn from the deſerving Cauſe: Chriſt had glorified the Father, and therefore thinks himſelf worthy to have glory from the Father; I have glorified thee on earth, I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to do: And now, O Father, glorifie me with thy ſelf, and ſo on.
At this time, I ſhall pitch on the firſt Argument, with which our Saviour preſſeth this requeſt of his, and it is taken from the end, why he deſireth to have glory from the Father, viz. That he may be enabled to bring glory to the Father, Glorifie thy Son, that thy Son alſo may glorifie thee.
Me thinks he ſeems to intimate he could not glorifie him much in the condition he was in at preſent, he was in ſuch a ſtate of ignominy, and abaſure, and contempt, in relation to the world, that he was not capable of bringing in the Father any conſiderable honour, while he remained in this caſe: And therefore he entreats the Father to raiſe him, and advance him, that he may do as much for him again, Father glorifie thy Son, that thy Son alſo, &c.
So then as we have formerly obſerved, that it is the Deſign of God the Father to glorifie his Son; ſo hence we may obſerve,
DOCTRINE. That it is the deſire of Chriſt to have glory from the Father, to this end, that he may bring glory to the Father.
You ſee he begs it only upon this account, Father glorifie thy Son: What, that he may detain and keep it to himſelf? No, that he may return it to the Father, That thy Son alſo may glorifie thee.
If thou wilt glorifie me, thou ſhalt be no loſer by it; no, thou ſhalt have it back again, and that with profit, and advantage too; thou ſhalt be glorified by me; I will not keep the glory which thou layeſt out upon me in my own hands, but I will give it up entire, and undiminiſhed to thy ſelf again: It is not for my own ſake that I beg it, but for thine.
There were ſome rays of glory which God was pleaſed to dart forth upon the Son in his condition of abaſure: and if you mark his carriage in the Goſpel Story, you ſhall find that he was always carefull to make them to reflect on God again. As when he did his Miracles, which was a means to ſet him up (you know) in the eyes of all that ſaw them, he was extreamly cautious that the honour might be rendred to his Father. And hence he was not wont to do them in his own name, nor in appearance by his own power, though both were ſuitable enough to his condition, being God as well as Man; but in the name, and by the ſtrength and the aſſiſtance of the Father. And therefore when he raiſed Lazarus, he did not ſeem to do it of himſelf (though that he might have done as God) but lift up his eyes and prayed his Father, that he would ſhew himſelf in that buſineſs, that ſo the glory might be his, Iohn 11.42. and addeth, that he did it for the peoples ſake that ſtood by, that they might know that God had ſent him. That they might underſtand that he performed ſuch works as theſe, as one that was ſubſervient to the Father, in them, and that was ſent out by him. And therefore he is always minding them on all occaſions of his Miſſion from the Father, that ſo if any thing praiſe-worthy did appear in him, or were done by him, it might be rendred and aſcribed to the Father. The ſixth of John is full of ſuch inſinuations; I come (ſaith he) to do the will of him that ſent me, and not to do my own will, at ver. 38. And in another place he tells them that he honoured not himſelf, but his Father honoured him, Ioh. 8.54. He honours me, and I honour not my ſelf; I do not keep his honour to my ſelf; but I honour him again, with which accordeth that expreſſion, Iohn 13.31. Now is the Son of man glorified: and what follows, and God is glorified in him.
So that you ſee the Son takes glory from the Father, to this end, that he may bring glory to the Father.
And it is very congruous that it ſhould be ſo, becauſe as Man, and Mediator, Reaſon 1 he is the Servant of the Father; he was ſent down by him from heaven upon his errand, and upon his buſineſs, and to do the work which he appointed him to do. It was our Saviours own acknowledgement, when he had done and ended all, I have finiſhed the work, ſaid he, which thou gaveſt me to do, Joh. 17.4. q.d. I have approved my ſelf a faithfull Servant to thee, I have done thy work, and I have done it fully and compleatly: And he is often ſpeaking of his being ſent out by the Father, and that to do his will, and not his own, his work and not his own, to ſignifie that he was in the ſtate and the condition of a ſervant to the Father. Now a ſervant muſt not ſeek his own honour, but the honour of his Maſter. As he muſt do his Maſters will, his Maſters work, and not his own; ſo he muſt do it for his Maſters ends, and not his own. If his Maſter ſet him up, he muſt improve it to his Maſters commendation: And ſo our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt being as Man and Mediator in the condition of a Servant to his Father, it was his duty in the execution of his Mediatorſhip to aim at his Maſters glory, to do all things for his end, viz. his glory. Or otherwiſe in doing his Fathers work, his Fathers will, he might even ſerve himſelf, and not his Father. If any honour did accrew to him in the performance of his Office, he was bound to aſcribe it to the Father; it was his duty as a ſervant ſo to do, and ſo accordingly he did, and this was one ground of it, why he did no otherwiſe deſire to have glory from the Father, but that he might bring glory to the Father.
Reaſon 2 There may a ſecond reaſon be aſſigned as he is God, for ſo he and the Father are one, and conſequently his glory and the Fathers are one. So that no marvel that he deſire as God to bring glory to the Father, ſeeing in doing ſo he brings glory to himſelf; As on the other ſide it is no marvel, that the Father takes occaſion ſtill to glorifie the Son, ſeeing in doing ſo, he glorifies himſelf. You ſhall obſerve that they are always ſetting one another up; the Father he is always ſetting up the Son; the Son upon the other ſide is always ſetting up the Father; and it is no wonder that it ſhould be ſo, becauſe in ſetting one another up, they do indeed ſet up themſelves. If the Son were to loſe the glory that he gives the Father, we need not doubt he would be loth enough to part with it:So if the Father were to loſe the glory that he gives the Son, he would not let him have it neither; for he hath ſaid, He will not give his glory to another. But heres the buſineſs now my Brethren, when he gives glory to the Son, he doth not give it to another, but himſelf. And ſo the Son when he gives glory to the Father, he doth not give it to another, but himſelf. They are ſo abſolutely one in all reſpects, as God, that the glory of the one is the glory of the other: And therefore it is ſaid that God is glorified in the Son, Iohn 13.31. Mark that expreſſion, Not by the Son, but in the Son; for he is glorified in that the Son is glorified. The glory that may ſeem to be imparted to the Son, darts back again upon him by reflection; it is doubled by this means, and conſequently he is not a loſer by it, but a gainer. If he glorifie his Son, his Son alſo glorifies him; ſo that no marvel if there be ſuch an exchange of glory continually between the Father and the Son, and putting of it always over to the other. That place is very notable to this purpoſe. John 12.28. if it be read as ſome have rendred it, and the Original will fitly bear; ſaith Jeſus Chriſt, Father glorifie thy Name; the Father anſwers by a voice from Heaven, I have glorified thee (not glorified it, as in our laſt Tranſlation, but) glorified thee, and I will glorifie thee again; the Son he prays not, Father glorifie me, but thy ſelf, thy own name, Father glorifie thy name: the Father anſwers not, I have glorified my name, my ſelf; but, I have glorified thee; Neuter ſibi, uterque alteri gloriam attribuens, as one notes upon the text. The Son deſires the Father, that he will glorifie himſelf, and not him; the Father tells the Son that he hath glorified him, and not himſelf; or if you will, that he hath done what he deſires; he hath glorified himſelf in glorifying him: ſo that the one is glorified in the glory of the other.
Ʋſe. Now, is it ſo my Brethren, that it is the deſire of Chriſt to have glory from the Father to the end, &c. I ſhall apply it in the firſt place my beloved, to perſwade you to learn of Chriſt in this particular, as he himſelf hath taught you in another caſe, Learn of me, for I am meek: Learn to be as I am, learn to do as I do: So be you followers of Chriſt in this thing, and do you learn of him, when you deſire or ſeek for any thing at Gods hands, any place, or any gifts that will advance or ſet you up among men, that you deſire it for no other end, but this, that you may glorifie the Lord with it. It is a uſual thing with many of us; we would get up into ſome place of dignity, we would have extraordinary parts and gifts, we would be eminent in knowledge, and in grace; we would have God to honour us with theſe things, and we are very earneſt and importunate with him about it; but can we ſay in the uprightneſs of our hearts, as Chriſt doth? Father, we pray that thou wouldſt honour us with theſe things, that we alſo may glorifie thee: That by this means we may be capable of bringing thee the more glory. It is not to ſet up our ſelves that we deſire this dignity, or theſe accompliſhments in any kinde, but that we may advance thee. Do we not know that we deſire ſuch things as theſe too many of us, meerly for our own ends, for the attainment of our own glory, that we may get our ſelves a name, that we may be accepted, and reputed, and eſteemed? Do not our hearts accuſe us, that we have ſuch low aims as theſe are? Now I beſeech you, my Beloved, let us conform our ſelves to Chriſt in this particular; any thing that we deſire that will be honourable to us, let us deſire it in reference to Gods glory: if we would have more knowledge, and more grace, and more ability to holy duties, let it not be to this end that we may be ſome body among the Saints, and that our names with Davids may be much ſet by: If we would have more wealth, and more power, let it not be that we may ſtrut and ſwell, and ſwagger in the world: but that if God ſhall honour us in this regard, we alſo may glorifie him, that having had ſuch honour from him, we may bring the more to him.
And truly, if we ſeek it to this end, we have the greater hope to ſpeed with God in our Petitions, and to obtain the gifts and bleſſings that we ſeek for, and that upon a double ground which I ſhall briefly ſet before you, as inducements to perſwade.
If we deſire that which will honour us, that we may honour God with it, we may be like to have it upon this account, that he himſelf, in ſome reſpects, is intereſſed and concerned in it. It will be advantagious to himſelf, and therefore he will give it us: he ſees that we will lay it out for him, and therefore he will lay it out on us. He will entruſt us with the talent, which he perceives we mean to uſe for his profit; and this is one eſpecial cauſe why many men want thoſe abilities, and thoſe endowments which they eagerly deſire and thirſt after, becauſe he knows they deſire them out of pride, that they may glorifie themſelves with them. The Lord reſiſts the proud, but gives his grace unto the humble, 1. Pet. 5.5. He will not have his gifts to be the ſtales and proſtitutes of our corruptions, the oyl to feed our baſe humours.
If we deſire that which will honour us, that we may honour God with it, we may be like to have it upon this account, that Jeſus Chriſt will intercede for it; he never intercedes for any thing but only in theſe two caſes, when that which is deſired, if it be granted, will promote his Fathers glory or his peoples good; and this you ſee is the firſt and great Caſe. If he perceive that we intend to glorifie his Father with the abilities, or gifts, or bleſſings that we ſue for; then inſtrikes he with us in our Petition, and ſeconds our requeſt to God. He tels his Father there is ſuch a Suit of ſuch a Member, or of ſuch a Saint of mine, I pray thee hearken to it, and diſpatch it, for it concerns thine own honour. Here he would have a little more grace, but I aſſure thee (for I know his breaſt) it is not to be proud, or to lift up himſelf with it, but to advance and lift up thee. Poor ſoul, he thinks he never honours thee enough, and therefore he would fain have more grace, that he may bring thee more glory: Come I beſeech thee, ſet thy treaſure open, and give him out a large ſhare, for thou thy ſelf will be a gainer by it: If thou honour him, he will alſo glorifie thee.
Uſe 2 If any honour come to any of us, from any gifts, or graces, or abilities, that God hath beſtowed upon us, let the ſame minde be in us that was in this reſpect in Jeſus Chriſt. If God have glorified us in any kind, let us alſo glorifie him. If any honour do accrue to any of us from our created, or acquired, or infuſed abilities, from any thing that we have done, from any thing that we have ſuffered, let us not keep it in our own hands, but return it back to God. If men at any time applaud us, or commend us for our gifts, if they admire our graces, or abilities in any kinde, and ſay you have done this or that incomparably well, and our hearts begin to riſe, as they are apt to do on ſuch a ſcore, let us not appropriate this honour to our ſelves; let us not be unwilling to forgo it all again, and to ſpare it all to God: Aſſoon as he hath honoured us, let us be ſure to glorifie him; let us put it all away, and ſhake it off, and ſay as David did, Not unto us, I ſay again, not unto us, but to the name of God be all the glory. It was he that wrought all our works for us, that put all thoſe gracious words into our minds (the matter was not of our own invention but of his ſuggeſtion) that did all in theſe duties. We laboured, we confeſs, but yet not we, not we only, not we chiefly, but the grace of God that was in us. And therefore when theſe Crowns of honour ſhall at any time be ſet upon our heads, let us with the four and twenty Elders caſt them down before the throne of God, acknowledging with them, that unto him alone belongeth honour and glory and praiſe: And we ſhould be the more cautious of arrogating any of this honour to our ſelves, which indeed belongs to God, becauſe he is ſo infinitely jealous of his glory: he hath profeſt it is a thing that he will never part withall; he will not give it to another; ſo that if we preſume to keep it when it comes into our hands, we ſhall be loſers by it in the end, the Lord will certainly recover it upon us to our own ſhame. There is a ſad example of it in proud Herod, who being much applauded and admired by the People for a certain Speech he made to a popular Aſſembly, inſomuch that they cried out, The voice of God, and not of man; becauſe he gave not God the glory, which the people gave him, he was eaten up of worms, and died a very ignominious and baſe death. Well then, the glory that is given us by men, in any caſe let us be ſure to give to God, that we may ſay to him, not much unlike as Chriſt doth, Thou haſt glorified us, and we have glorified thee. And thus of the firſt Argument with which our Saviour preſſeth and enforceth this requeſt of his, which hath been taken from the end why he deſireth to be glorified, or to have glory from the Father.
The ſecond follows now in order to be handled, and it is à congruo, from congruity; it was but meet and congruous that he ſhould have glory from the Father, ſeeing he had power from him. Father glorifie thy Son, as thou haſt given him power over all fleſh.
The force and vigour of this ſecond Reaſon of our Saviour (as I take it) lies in this, That power and glory ought to go together. He looks upon it as a reaſonable thing, that he that is endued with power, ſhould be adorned with glory. And hence he knits them both together in the Lords Prayer by the connective particle, the power and the glory. So here he had the power, and therefore thinks it fit that he ſhould have the glory. He tels his Father, that he had received power from him, and therefore it was congruous that he ſhould have glory from him. And on this ground he preſſeth it in this Petition to his Father, q.d. As thou haſt given me power, ſo be prevailed withall to give me glory, Father glorifie thy Son as thou haſt given him power over all fleſh.
Three things we have to be conſidered in the words. 1. The thing in it ſelf with which our Saviour is inveſted and endued, and this you ſee is power over all fleſh. 2. The means by which he comes to be inveſted with it, viz. by free donation and diſpenſation from his Father; he had this power becauſe his Father gave it him, As thou haſt given him power over all fleſh. 3. The end for which he was inveſted with it, that he ſhould give eternal life to as many as thou haſt given him.
Begin we with the firſt particular, the thing it ſelf with which our Saviour is inveſted and endued. And here you may take notice in the firſt place of the nature of it, and in the next place of the meaſure and extent of it. Firſt you have here the nature of it, ſuggeſted in the name our Saviour gives it, foreign power. And then you have the meaſure and extent of it, it is not over ſome, but over all fleſh, As thou haſt given him power over all fleſh.
As for the firſt of theſe, my Brethren, you muſt know that there are two ſorts of power. There is either foreign, or foreign, either potentia, or poteſtas: Or to be plain, either power of ability, or power of authority. Power of ability, by which he that enjoys it, is enabled to do things de facto: Power of authority, by which he that enjoys it is enabled to do things de jure. This latter is apparently intended in my Text, As thou haſt given him, ſaith our Saviour, not foreign, but foreign. Our laſt Tranſlation reads it power; it would have been more clear and eaſie, if they had rendred it authority: as thou haſt given him authority over all fleſh.
Now this authority you ſee is of a very large extent, it is over all fleſh. You muſt conceive it over all mankinde. It is a uſual form of ſpeech, as I might give you divers inſtances out of the Scripture: God looked, and behold all fleſh had corrupted his way, Gen. 6.12. The corruption there is ſinfull, of which no other fleſh is capable, but that of mankinde only: So Luke 3.6. All fleſh ſhall ſee the ſalvation of God: And in this ſenſe you are to apprehend the ſame expreſſion in my Text: Father glorifie thy Son, as thou haſt given him power over all fleſh; over all humane fleſh, or the whole race of Mankinde.
And this authority you muſt conceive him to enjoy and exerciſe, as he is Man and Mediator of the Church; for that Authority which he enjoys as God, he had from all eternity as co-equal with the Father. He had it not made over to him by the Father; no, it was his own original, and primitive, and native right, together with the Father. Whereas the power intended in my Text, is that which he received by way of diſpenſation, and donation from the Father, As thou haſt given him power over all fleſh: You ſee the meaning of the Words, the Point is clear.
DOCTRINE. That all mankinde is under the authority of Jeſus Chriſt, as he is Man, and Mediator of the Church.
His Juriſdiction, as you ſee, is of a very large extent, no creature is exempted from it; he ruleth over all, as David ſpeaks, Pſal. 103.19 And he is king of all the earth, Pſal. 47.7. He hath dominion from ſea to ſea; and from the river to the ends of the earth, Pſal. 72.8. His Father (the Apoſtle tels us) hath ſet him over the works of his hands, Heb. 2.7. You muſt conceive it over all without exception; and hath put all things in ſubjection to him, as it is added preſently: So that you ſee, my Brethren, there is nothing left that is not under his dominion. He hath advanced him far above all principality, and power, and might, and every name, not only in the preſent world, but in that which is to come, and hath put all things under his feet, Eph. 1.22. And in another place, His Father loves him, and hath put all things into his hands, Joh. 3.35. Theſe two may ſeem to claſh and interfere, he hath put all things into his hand, and he hath put all things under his feet: But the fence and meaning is, he hath put all things of one ſort into his hands; conceive it, all his people and his friends, concerning whom our Saviour ſaith, No man can pluck them out of my hand. He hath put all things of another ſort under his feet: conceive it, all his enemies, concerning whom the Father ſaith unto the Son, Sit thou at my right hand, untill I make thy enemies thy foot ſtool: So that you ſee apparently, Chriſt hath an univerſal Juriſdiction; he hath all things in his power, under his dominion: ſome things in his hand, to honour them, and ſome things under foot to ſhame them: Some things in his hand to keep them, and ſome things under feet to tread upon them, and to ruine them for ever. If any were without the verge of the authority of Jeſus Chriſt, the Kings and Princes of the earth might ſeem to have the ſtrongeſt plea for this exemption: But God hath made him his firſt-born, higher then the kings of the earth, as you may ſee, Pſ. 89 27. Not higher in regard of dignity of nature only (for ſo the Angels, as you know; are higher then the greateſt earthly Princes) but higher in regard of Juriſdiction too; and hence he hath that name upon his veſture written in great Capitals, Apoc. 19.16. King of Kings, and Lord of Lords: So that the point you ſee is fully proved. That all mankinde, &c.
Now to unfold the point a little to you, that you may ſee it in the latitude, and in the full dimenſion of it: There is a twofold power of Juriſdiction or Authority, which Jeſus Chriſt as Man and Mediator of the Church is veſted with, and exerciſeth over all fleſh. A Legiſlative power, and a Judiciary power: A Legiſlative power to give Laws; and a Judiciary power, to execute the Laws that he hath given.
Firſt then Chriſt hath an univerſal Legiſlative power, a power of giving Laws to all fleſh. And hence it is, that the Apoſtle ſtiles him the Law-giver, Jam. 4.12. and that excluſively; he tels us, that here is but one, and that is Chriſt. There is one ſuch, and no more; the univerſal Legiſlative power is in himſelf alone, and not in any other, either with him, or beſides him: It is his own prerogative, it is a flower of the Imperial Crown of heaven which he communicateth not to any other, to give Law to all fleſh. And hence the Law is ſaid in Scripture to come out of Zion, as you may ſee that place fore-inſtanced, Iſa. 2.3. for out of Zion ſhall go forth the Law, which is the Seat of Chriſts Kingdom: It is not ſaid to be impoſed on Zion only, to be reſtrained to Zion only, but out of Zion to go forth to all fleſh: Becauſe our Saviour, though he be King of all the earth, yet he keeps his Court in Zion, in the Church; there is his place of reſidence, and thence he dates and ſendeth forth his Royal Proclamations, and Edicts, Witneſs our ſelf at Zion.
Now Chriſt by vertue of this Legiſlative power of his, gives Laws both to the outward and the inward man. Both to the members, and the conſcience, and that without reſtraint of all fleſh.
Chriſt hath an univerſal Legiſlative power, a power of giving Laws to all mankinde, ſo as to binde their members, and their outward man. And hence the Moral Law, which is an univerſal Law, which no man is exempted from, which takes hold on all fleſh, which all men ſhall be judged by, as the Apoſtle tels us, is called the Law of Chriſt, Gal. 6.2. Bear you one anothers burthen, and ſo fulfill the Law of Chriſt, that is, the Law of love; for that, my Brethren, is the Law of Chriſt. A new Commandment give I unto you; Novum quia renovatum, A new Commandment give I unto you, that you love one another: And what is love but the fulfilling of the Moral Law, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks? And yet this ſame Apoſtle ſpeaking of this Law of love, calls it not the Law of nature, but the Law of Chriſt, Bear ye one anothers burthen (which is a ſpecial act of love) and ſo fulfill the Law of Chriſt: So that the Moral Law you ſee, my Brethren, is the Law of Chriſt: and therefore he is pleaſed to own it, and to call it his Commandment, John 15.12. to fortifie it with his own authority (as in the Sermon on the Mount) and to impoſe the precept of it on the people.
And that this Moral Law is univerſal, and extends to all fleſh, appears by this, that it is not impoſed alone upon the members of the Church, but on the very heathen too, upon the Kings and Princes of the earth, as you may ſee, Pſal. 2.2. The Kings and Princes of the earth ſet themſelves, and the Rulers take Counſel together againſt the Lord and his Chriſt, ſaying, Let us break their bond… aſunder, and caſt away their cords from us, that is the Precepts and Commandments, not of the Goſpel only, but alſo of the Moral Law: Which is the Law of nature, and obliged not the Jews alone, but all the Nations of the world: So that no marvel though they both conſpire together to rid themſelves of theſe bonds. The Heathen rage, the people of the Jews imagine, the Kings and Rulers (not of Jews only, but) of all the earth, ſtand up and ſay, Let us break theſe bonds aſunder, and caſt away theſe cords from us. Theſe bonds and cords which are impoſed and laid upon us all, with which we all of us do finde our ſelves reſtrained and bound, that is, the Precepts and Commandments of the Moral Law: So that you ſee, Chriſt by his Legiſlative power gives Law to all fleſh, as to the outward man, and to the Members.
He gives Law to all fleſh, as to the inward man, and to the conſcience. The Law of Jeſus Chriſt is Spiritual, as the Apoſtle Paul tels us, Rom. 7.14. not only in the nature of it, but alſo in the ſubjects of it. It takes hold upon the ſouls, the ſpirits, and conſciences of men: It captivates their very thoughts, 2 Cor. 10.5. And herein Jeſus Chriſt is ſingular, and manifeſteth ſuch authority as no one exerciſeth but himſelf. Its true, that men do oftentimes give Laws unto the outward man, and to the members in politick and civil things, and then they do it too as Chriſts Vicegerents and his Deputies, they do it under him, and by authority from him. But it is Chriſt, and he alone that gives Laws unto the Conſcience in holy and religious things. He delegates the former power to Magiſtrates, who in the ſame reſpect are ſtiled the Miniſters of Chriſt: But this authority he makes not over to any of the ſons of men: And yet he exerciſes this authority over all the ſons of men, ſo that there is not one of them exempted from his Power.
As Jeſus Chriſt hath a Legiſlative power, ſo a Judiciary power. As he hath a Legiſlative power to give Laws, ſo a Judiciary power to execute the Laws that he hath given: And this is univerſal too, my Brethren, as the other is. As he gives his Laws to all, ſo he executes his Laws on all fleſh. And therefore he is called a Judge very often in the Scripture: I need not give you inſtances, for they are known: yea, he is ſtiled the Judge of all, and not alone of all that are alive, but even of thoſe that are departed and deceaſed, as you may ſee that place for inſtance, Acts 10.42. where he is ſtiled the Judge of the quick and dead. Its true that other Judges in the world can judge the quick, they can deal well enough with thoſe that are alive; but if they die, they are gone out of their hands for ever. But Jeſus Chriſt is Judge of all fleſh, quick fleſh, and dead fleſh, Judge of quick and dead too. Death cannot reſcue men out of his hands; no, my Beloved, he can purſue them to eternity, and follow them into another world, and there can execute the rigour of his wrath upon them to the very utmoſt.
And as he is the Judge of all perſons, ſo he is Judge of all caſes: All judgement is committed to him, not ſome, but all judgement, Job 5.22. whether the caſe be manifeſt and open, or whether it be hid and ſecret, all is one, Chriſt is Judge of both theſe; and this is ſingular to Jeſus Chriſt. Men can do nothing in a caſe that is abſolutely ſecret. If a murther be committed, and nothing be diſcovered any way; no, not ſo much as by a circumſtance, or by ſome grounds of ſtrong ſuſpition, what can an earthly Judge do? He knows the Law is broken, but yet he cannot execute the ſentence of the Law, becauſe he is not able to diſcover the Offender. Now Jeſus Chriſt is not to ſeek in ſuch Caſes. To him all things are naked and uncovered. And therefore he brings every work to judgement, and every ſecret thing, Eccl. 12.14. And the Apoſtle tels us of a day when God ſhall judge the ſecrets of men by Jeſus Chriſt, according to his Goſpel, Rom. 2.16. So that you ſee no fleſh can eſcape his judgement, let the man be what he will, and let the cauſe be what it will.
Now this Judiciary power of Chriſts conſiſts of two things; in paſſing ſentence upon all fleſh; in executing the ſentence after it is paſt. A word or two of theſe in order.
Chriſt hath the power of paſſing ſentence upon all fleſh. All mankinde is under his authority in this reſpect: and they muſt all appear before the Judgement Seat of Chriſt, as the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks, 2 Cor. 5.10. there to receive their laſt doom, either of abſolution or condemnation. Sometimes he paſſeth ſentence on them in the Court of Conſcience here, he ſealeth up mens condemnation to them, and makes it to become a certain thing: They are condemned already, in themſelves, and there remaineth nothing to them but a certain looking for of judgment, as the expreſſion is, Heb. 10.27. And on the other ſide, he ſealeth up mens abſolution, he ſealeth Pardons to the conſcience: This he hath power to do, and this he doth ſometimes on earth, Mat. 9 6. The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive ſins. At utmoſt, in the laſt and dreadfull day, all the dead both great and ſmall, appear before him, and receive a ſentence from him, either the one way or the other, as you may ſee, Apoc. 20.12.
And as he hath the power of Paſſing, ſo the power of Executing Sentence upon all Fleſh. All mankinde is under his authority in this reſpect: And therefore the Apoſtle having ſpoken of his Legiſlative power before, he comes to this judiciary Power, James 4.12. There is one Law-giver, (ſaith he) And what can he but give the Law? yes, he can execute the Law too: and therefore it is added preſently, Who is able both to ſave, and to deſtroy: to ſave thoſe that are acquitted by the Law, and to deſtroy thoſe that are condemned by the Law.
Sometimes he executeth his ſentence partly here: The works of ſome men go before to judgement, (as the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks, 1 Tim. 5.24.) Chriſt puniſheth the wicked, and rewards the Godly in this preſent world; but the full retribution of them both, he keepeth and reſerveth to the day of his appearing, when both of them ſhall have their full reward. Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, (ſaith our Saviour) He ſends not his reward before him, he leaves not his reward behind him, but brings it with him, to diſpenſe it when he comes: And then he will diſcover it to all the world, that he hath power over all fleſh, for he will then diſpoſe eternally of all fleſh, either in heaven or in hell.