Exposition of John 17, Exposition · Part 7
John 17.2.
As thou haſt given him power over all Fleſh.
Ʋſe 1 NOw is it ſo, that all mankind is under the authority of Jeſus Chriſt, under his Legiſlative power, ſo as to give Law to them? Then firſt of all, they are ſeverely to be cenſured, who ſubmit not to the authority of Jeſus Chriſt, who do not yield obedience to the Law he gives them; let him lay what commands he will upon them, they are at a point for that, they will not be obedient to them: they break the bonds of Chriſt in ſunder, and caſt away his cords from them. Now the Delinquents here are twofold, according to the twofold Law which the authority of Jeſus Chriſt impoſeth on his Subjects. I ſay, there is a twofold Law which the authority of Jeſus Chriſt impoſeth upon men; the Law of Faith, and the Law of Love. We read of both theſe (my Brethren) in the Goſpel, and of both as his Laws. And ſo accordingly there are two ſorts of men, who ſtoop not to the Legiſlative power of Jeſus Chriſt; I ſhall proceed with them in order.
The firſt of them are unbelievers; they violate the Law of faith, and ſo ſubmit not to the power which God hath given him over all fleſh. You muſt know that Jeſus Chriſt requireth all men to believe. You believe in God, (ſaith he to his Diſciples) believe alſo in me, John 14.1. And therefore the Apoſtle tels us of the Law of faith, and ſetteth it in oppoſition to the Law of works, the Moral Law, as you may ſee, Rom. 3.27. Now the great thing which this Law of faith requires, is, the receiving of the Son of God upon the terms that he is offered in the Goſpel, as you have been often ſhewed. And it requires it on the greateſt penalty, even everlaſting condemnation, which is as certain to the unbelievers, as if it had already paſt upon them. He that believeth not, is condemned already, John 3, 18. And yet alas, how many are there who ſubmit not to this Law of faith; who though Chriſt be propoſed and tendred to them in the Goſpel, though he be even forced and preſſed upon them, though Chriſt command them to believe, yet they will not be obedient! Indeed if he had no authority to impoſe this Law upon them, they had reaſon to ſtand out: but God hath given him power to do this, yea, he himſelf requires the very ſame thing. This is his Commandment that we ſhould believe in the name of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Joh. 3.23. ſo that you ſee (my Brethren) this is the Commandment of the Father, and this is the Commandment of the Son, both joyn in this Law; and therefore they are deeply to be cenſured, who are refractory to ſo great a Law as this.
And that it may the better work and take upon them, I ſhall ſhew them, firſt the ſin, and ſecondly the danger of their diſobedience.
That it is a ſin not to believe in Jeſus Chriſt, is evident by that which hath been ſaid, becauſe it is the violation of a Law, the Law of faith. But more then ſo, it is a very great ſin. It is a ſin of no ordinary ſize; no, (my beloved) it is a ſinning ſin, it is abundantly, and out of meaſure ſinfull. It is a ſin indeed to violate the Law of works which the Apoſtle ſtileth Moſes Law, becauſe it was delivered by the hand of Moſes: But it is a greater ſin to violate the Law of faith, and that both with relation to the Father and the Son.
Firſt for the Father, it is an horrible indignity to him; it is the baſeſt undervaluing and deſpiſing of his love that can be; he gives his Son out of his boſom, to ſuffer ſhame and death for poor Creatures, and having done it, he ſends his Meſſengers to mind men of the danger they are in without Chriſt, and to exhibite and propoſe him to them as the means, the only means of their ſalvation: and as endeavouring to overcome men with his goodneſs, he doth in love and pity beg them, and beſeech them to accept of it; And what is the event of this? why (my beloved] when he hath abaſed himſelf ſo low, and ſtooped ſo much below himſelf as to become a ſuitor to them to receive his Son, they carry matters ſo as if he ſtood in need of them; as if he came to make a motion to them for his own advantage; as if he knew not what to do, if they ſhould refuſe his Son. Is not this good uſage? that when he hath deſcended ſo in ways of mercy, they ſhould ſhake him off, and tell him in effect, that his profered wares ſtink, and that they do not need him, nor his Son neither: he may go offer him to them that have a mind to him.
Oh what abuſe of love is this! Oh what an high indignity! what an unſufferable provocation! even to incenſe the Lord ſo far, as to cauſe him to reſolve that he will never ſtoop ſo low again; that he will never proſtitute his Son again to the diſdain and the refuſal of a company of baſe unthankful men; that he will make them rue the time that ever they contemned this mercy to them.
Then for the Son (my Brethren) in the ſecond place, it is an high affront to him, and ſo in that reſpect a great ſin. It coſt him dear to purchaſe and obtain remiſſion and ſalvation for a company of loſt creatures; indeed his deareſt life, his deareſt blood. And is it not an horrible indignity to ſlight and to deſpiſe ſo great ſalvation? to trample under foot the ſon of God: to ſcorn ſuch rich and precious mercy? yet this all unbelievers do, if not in their intention, yet in the iſſue and event. Truly their ſin in this reſpect, is greater then the ſin of Devils, whoſe nature Chriſt hath not aſſumed (he took not on him the nature of Angels, but the ſeed of Abraham) for whom he never ſuffered, and to whom he was never offered; They will have ſomething to excuſe themſelves withall, ſomething to plead before the Lord in the great and dreadful day. Al…s, may Devils ſay, there was no poſſibility of our recovery; there was no Mediator between God and us, to purchaſe and obtain our peace; there was no pardon tendred to us; but you had the eternal Son of God to dye for you, (for you mankind) to ſhed his blood, and to lay down his life for you; and yet when all was done, and when he came and brought a pardon to you, ſealed with his blood, and beſought you to accept of it, you even ſhut him out of doors, you would not look upon him, nor receive him; you baffled him, and dodged with him; Ah, (my beloved) what heart if it be truly touched, can hold from breaking under the ſight and ſenſe of ſuch abominable and prodigious wickedneſs as this is?
And as the ſin is great, ſo in the ſecond place, the miſery and condemnation will be great alſo. There will be no avoiding of it; for how ſhall we eſcape, if we neglect ſo great ſalvation! Heb. 2.3. There will be no enduring of it, it will be infinitely heavy; it will be eaſier for Turks and Pagans in the day of judgement then for ſuch wretches. Alas poor ſouls, that as if their condemnation were not deep enough already, the incarnation, and the paſsion, and the offer of a Saviour, the richeſt mercies in themſelves, that ever were beſtowed upon the Creature, ſhould accidentally encreaſe it. That Chriſt ſhould die and ſhed his blood, to ſink men deeper into hell, then if he had not died at all (for this is the event and iſſue of it) this is a lamentable thing indeed.
The ſecond ſort of ſuch as ſtoop not to the authority of Jeſus Chriſt, and to his Legiſlative power, are ſuch as violate the Law of Love; I mean the Moral Law, the decalogue, the ten Commandments, for that (my Brethren) is the Law of love. And therefore the Apoſtle tels us that love is the fulfilling of the Law; he means apparently the Moral Law. Rom. 13.10. and he that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law: ſee the eighth verſe of that chapter: in which reſpect our Saviour Chriſt himſelf divides the Law into theſe two Commandments: Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and the neighbour as thy ſelf: what then? it may be you will ſay, Doth Chriſt by his authority impoſe the moral Law on men, the ten Commandments of the Decalogue? The Law of faith is his indeed, but is the Law of works his too? Yes the Law of works is his; for he requireth works as well as faith. And the faith which he beſtows upon his members, works by love. And love is his own commandment, ſo he cals it, John 15.12. This is my Commandment that ye love one another. Indeed he rules his Subjects by the Moral Law, that is, the precepts and commandments of it are the Statutes of his Kingdom. Its true, when it was firſt delivered to Adam in the ſtate of innocency, it came to him but in the hand of the Creator only; But it comes to us (my Brethren) in the hands of the Redeemer, and of the Mediator Jeſus Chriſt, who was typified by Moſes at the delivery of the Law, the ſecond time upon Mount Sinai, Gal. 3.19. And hence the precepts of it, are ſtiled not the bonds of God only, but the bonds of Chriſt too; Pſal. 2.2. Let us break their bonds aſunder, and caſt away their cords from us. The Goſpel all men yield, is Chriſts; he is in a peculiar way the author of the Goſpel, and therefore it is called the word of Chriſt. Now the Commandments of the Law, are all of them revived in the Goſpel. The whole of what the Law requires, is for the manner and meaſure of obedience exacted alſo in the Goſpel; there is no duty which the Law enjoyns, but it is taught us in the Goſpel. The Goſpel teacheth to deny ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, and to live ſoberly, and righteouſly, and godlily in this preſent world: Titus 2.12. ſoberly towards our ſelves, righteouſly towards our Brethren, and piouſly towards our God.
And theſe Particulars apparently involve and comprehend all the Commandments of the Moral Law from the beginning of it to the end; There being nothing in the Decalogue, the Ten Commandments, interdicted, or required, but may be reduced to one of theſe three heads.
So then you ſee my Brethren, not the Law of faith only, but the Law of works too, is Chriſts Law; or if it be not Chriſts Law, it can be no Law at all; The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all Judgement to the Son. And conſequently he that violates this Law of works, reſiſteth the authority of Jeſus Chriſt, and the power with which he is inveſted by his Father to give Law to all fleſh.
And yet alas how many are there who live in the reſolved, and the conſtant breach of all the precepts and commandments of the Law of Chriſt, who in their practice daily break theſe bonds aſunder, and caſt away theſe cords from them, who are not ſubject to the Law of Chriſt nor indeed can they be! If it be preſſed home upon them, to bind them to the good behaviour, and to reſtrain them from their ſinful and ungracious courſes, they are out of all patience. If the commands of Chriſt be laid upon them, to hold them faſt to duty and obedience and to abridge them of their carnal liberty, if they be told they muſt no take their old courſes, but they muſt hear and pray, and faſt, and ſanctifie Gods holy day, and live ſtrictly, they will be very much incenſed; The Law of Chriſt is too ſevere and ſtrict for them, it curbeth and abridgeth them too much, and therefore they will ſhake it off from them; And as the Lunatick who was reſtored by our Saviour to his reaſon, brake all the bonds and cords with which they bound him, ſo theſe unreaſonable Creatures deal with Chriſts Law; nothing will hold them to obedience. Let him lay what command he will upon them, they will ſurely break it, that they may live at liberty, and walk according to their own humours. Yea, ſin in ſuch by the Commandment becomes exceeding ſinful, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Rom. 7.13. Not by way of declaration (for that is not the purpoſe and intention of the place) but by way of Irritation; When the Commandment labours to lay hold on ſin, to bind him, and to chain him up, then ſin begins to lay about him, to ſtruggle for his libertie, and ſo by accident to be the more ſinful. When we preſs home the precepts of the Law, and urge them hard on wicked men, as there are ſome that yield themſelves up to the binding power and to the obligation of it: ſo there are others that ſtand out againſt the Law, and they are much the worſe for it, and become the more vitious. What? bind and curb, and limit them? tell them that they muſt not ſwear, and they muſt not be unclean? They will not be reſtrained and hampered; they! no they will ſwear the more and drink the more and be unclean the more. They are reſolved with the rebellious Jews, we will not hear, we will not do but we will do as we have done; I will fetch wine, and we will fill our ſelves with ſtrong drink, and to morrow ſhall be as this day, and much more abundant. Well my beloved, if any of you be at this hand, hear but a few particulars before we part.
Conſider Chriſt is infinitely tender of his Authority, and of his Law. He will not eaſily endure it to be ſleighted and infringed. He came not to deſtroy the Law himſelf; no▪ he was far from any ſuch intention in his coming, nor will he ſuffer any other to deſtroy it neither. Heaven and Earth ſhall paſs away before one jot or tittle of his Law ſhall paſs away, Mat. 18.5. He had as lief that Heaven and Earth ſhould come to nothing as that his Law ſhould be diſſolved. And judge you then how great their provocation is, who violate and break the precepts of it day by day, as Sampſon did his green cords, as if they had no ſtrength or force at all in them. Could they ſet Heaven and Earth on fire and conſume it into aſhes, they could not anger Chriſt ſo much, nor vex him as they do by this their curſed violation of his bleſſed Law. And there is extraordinary peril in the wrath of Chriſt; If once he be incenſed there is very great hazard, and hence ſaith David, Pſalm 2. ult. Kiſs the ſon leaſt he be angry, and you periſh.
Conſider that the Law as it hath a commanding power that requireth us to do, ſo it hath a threatning power that obligeth us to ſuffer, in caſe of diſobedience to the Law. As it bindeth men to do the things that are commanded in it, ſo in caſe they do them not (and have no intereſt in Chriſt by faith) it bindeth them to ſuffer all the things that are denounced in it; For every one that doth not every thing that is contained in the Law, is expoſed to the curſe, as you may ſee, Gal. 3.10. There's not a curſe contained in the book of God from the beginning of it to the end, but ſuch a man lies open to it, and if he perſevere without repentance, he ſhall be ſure to feel it to his pain. Well then, my brethren, you may perhaps out-ſtand the precept, but are you able to out-ſtand the threatning? You may decline the duty, but are you able alſo to avoid the curſe? Here Chriſt commands, & you replie, We will not hear, we will not do: But when he ſhall pronounce the ſentence of the Law upon you, in the great and great dreadful day, will you replie We will not bear, we will not ſuffer? Will you tell him to his face, We will not go to hell, we will not be condemned by the Law, as you have told him here, We will not be obedient to the Law? Alas it is not all mens ſcorns and haughty looks, it is not all their pride and ſturdineſs that will prevail at that time. No, no, the haughtineſs of men ſhall be brought low, and Chriſt alone ſhall be exalted in that day.
Conſider Chriſt hath ability to back and ſecond his authority. All power is given to him, all kinds & all degrees of power, power of authority, and power of ability. Power of authority alone is but an empty and a deſpicable thing; he that hath it may command, and they whom he commandeth (if they pleaſe) may, diſobey, he cannot force them to obedience, nor puniſh them for diſobedience. The hazzard is not great of diſobeying ſuch power. But where ability goes with authority, there the deſpiſing of it muſt be full of danger. Now ſo it doth in Jeſus Chriſt, and therefore he is peremptory, Rom. 14.11. As I live, ſaith the Lord, that is, the Lord Chriſt as you may ſee by the coherence, every knee ſhall bow to me, willingly, or by compulſion. If it bend not willingly, I will make it bow, or break. Chriſt will be King though the earth be never ſo unſteady, and the haters of the Lord ſhall be ſubject unto him. How? ſhall his haters be his Subjects? yes they ſhall be ſubject to him either one way or another. For though they be not ſubject to his grace, they ſhall be ſubject to his power. They that will not be ruled by him, ſhall be broken by him. We read of ſome that break his bonds aſunder, Pſal. 2, 3. but preſently he breaks their bonds aſunder. If they be good at breaking, Chriſt will fall a breaking too. He will break them with a rod of Iron, and daſh them in pieces like a Potters Veſſel. The authority of Chriſt, as it hath ſome that ſtoop to it, ſo it hath others that oppoſe it. And ſuch are they of whom we read, Luke 19.19. His Citizens hated him, & ſent a meſſage after him to tell him to his teeth we will not have this man to rule over us. They were in haſte, they could not tarry till he came about again, but they muſt ſend this ſawcy Meſſage after him. But ſee now what becomes of theſe men, and whether it be all as they will, ver. 27. But theſe my Enemies that would not have me to rule over them, bring them forth and ſlay them before me.
Oh think on this, you that will not be ruled by Jeſus Chriſt, who when his will is manifeſted to you, and when you are acquainted with the Laws and Statutes of his Kingdom, regard it not at all, but make light of all this. Oh, be adviſed to be wiſe and ſerve the Lord. Kiſs the ſon, he hath authority, and therefore do him fealty, leaſt he be angry and you periſh.
Is it ſo that all mankind is under the authority of Jeſus Chriſt? they are miſtaken then who think that ſome men are exempt from his authority and from his Legiſlative power, and that they are not bound to the obedience of the Laws he gives. I am very apt to think that Infidels & heathens who never had the Goſpel preached to them, who never heard of Jeſus Chriſt, are no way bound to the obedience of the Law of faith, ſo that they ſin in not believing in the Lord Chriſt, and taking him to be their Saviour whom they have no means to know. The Law of faith (I mean of juſtifying faith) the Commandment to believe, is not a natural, but a poſitive Law, and conſequently promulgation is abſolutely neceſſary to the obligation of it. But the Decalogue, the Moral Law, the Law of works, is written in the heart of man by nature, and therefore bindeth all men to obedience.
Yea, but ſay ſome, believers are exempted from the obligation of it; the faithful are not bound to the obedience of the Moral Law. Its true I muſt confeſs they are not bound to the obedience of it ſo as to be juſtified and ſaved by this obedience. They are not bound to the obedience of it ſo as the condition of a Covenant of works. But they are bound to the obedience of it ſo as to teſtifie their faith and love, and thankfulneſs, and ſervice to the Lord Chriſt, who hath impoſed this Law upon all fleſh, ſo that all men, yea even believers, are under the commanding power of this Law.
Yea, but it will be ſaid by ſome, that Jeſus Chriſt hath made us free, Object. that he hath purchaſed liberty for all his members, which liberty they are commanded to maintain, Gal. 5.1. And this they think, and teach to be even from the obligation of the Moral Law.
True, Chriſt hath made us free indeed, but from the ſervitude of ſin,Sol. not from the ſervice of himſelf; and from the Law of ſin as the Apoſtle calls it, Rom. 7.23. not from his own Law. Why ſhould we think that Chriſt hath ſhed his blood to free his people from the obligation of his own Law? Indeed my Brethren, if the Moral Law, the Law of love, the Law of works, were not the Law of Chriſt, as the Apoſtle calls it, Gal. 6.2. I ſhould be eaſily perſwaded to believe his people are exempted from the binding power of it. It ſeemeth reaſonable that his members ſhould be freed from any Law but that which he himſelf gives. But the commandment of the Moral Law which is fulfilled in love, is his Commandment, John 15.12. ſtrengthened with his authority, delivered in his hand and name to men, and who can think that he ſhould not impoſe his own Law, upon his own people? Mark that of the Evangeliſt, Luke 1.74, 75. He hath ſaved us from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate us. that we might ſerve him who hath ſaved us, in holineſs to God, and in righteouſneſs to man; which is indeed the ſumm, and ſubſtance of the Moral Law. So that the liberty which Chriſt hath purchaſed for his people, is liberty to keep, not liberty to break the Law; and that is liberty indeed, as David thinks, Pſal. 119.32. I will run the wayes of thy Commadments, when thou haſt ſet my heart at liberty.
To ſay it in a word my Brethren, there is a twofold liberty, a twofold freedom, the one enjoyed under ſin, and the other under Chriſt. Under ſin we are free to do any thing but good; under Chriſt we are free to do any thing but evil. Of the firſt ſort of freedom ſpeaks the Apoſtle Paul, Rom. 6.20. When you were the ſervants of ſin ye were free from righteouſneſs; and of the ſecond faith the ſame Apoſtle in ver. 22. of that Chapter, Being the ſervants of God ye are free from ſin. Well then our Saviour Chriſt hath brought us from the former to the latter ſort of freedom, ſo that we are at liberty from ſin, and not at liberty to ſin. We are at liberty to ſerve him, and obey him and to keep his Law.
Object. But it is objected further out of theſe words of the Apoſtle to the believing Romans, Rom. 6.19. where he tells them ye are not under the Law, but under Grace. And if believers are not under it, why then how are they ſubject to the obligation of it?
Sol.To this I anſwer, that believers are not under it reſpectively to the coaction of it, for they willingly obey it. They are not under it reſpectively to the ſevere exaction of it, for they are delivered from it; it comes to them with Evangelical allay, and Goſpel mitigation. They are not under it reſpectively to the malediction and the condemnation of it, for they are not accurſed, they ſhall not be condemned by it.
But they are under the commanding and the binding power, the obligation of it notwithſtanding, becauſe from this they are not neither can they be delivered. For if you look upon the ſubſtance of the Moral Law, it is an everlaſting, an eternal Law, as David calls it, Pſal. 19.7. It ſheweth what is good, and what is evil in it ſelf, and in its nature. So that the things that are commanded there, are not good becauſe they are commanded, but are commanded becauſe they are good. And ſo the things that are forbidden, they are not evil becauſe they are forbidden, but are forbidden becauſe they are evil. And hence this Law is never charged (as the Law of the forbidden fruit, and as the Ceremonial, and Judaical Laws) no, it is ſtedfaſt, as the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks, Heb. 2.2. foreign, the word that was ſpoken by Angels, that is, the Moral Law that was delivered by their Miniſtry, is ſtedfaſt. Indeed this Law, the Law of nature, was written in the heart of Adam in the ſtate of innocency, and Chriſt intendeth not to blot out any thing that was engraven there, but promiſes to write it out again more fairly (for it was much obliterated by the fall) in the hearts of his people. So runs the tenor of the New Covenant, Ier. 31.33.
The laſt Objection that I ſhall inſiſt upon, Object. is taken from thoſe words of the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 1.9. The Law, ſaith the Apoſtle there, is not given to the Righteous. And if it be not given to them, why then it ſeems that it belongs not to them any way.
To this I anſwer that the Apoſtles purpoſe is not that the righteous are not under the command and obligation of the Law; for mark it,Sol. Adam was exactly righteous, and yet it was a Law to him even in the ſtate of innocency it ſelf.
But this is that which the Apoſtle means; the Law is not given to the righteous ſo as to force him to obedience, ſo as to be againſt a righteous man. It is not given for his hurt and condemnation. He doth not ſay foreign, Lex non eſt lata, but foreign Lex non eſt poſita; which intimates an action or a plea againſt a man. So that the Moral Law is not the action or the plea of God againſt a righteous man to bring him under judgement, and to oblige and bind him over to damnation. And ſo it is the ſame in ſenſe with that which is delivered by the ſame Apoſtle in another place, ſpeaking of ſuch as are guided by the ſpirit, and expreſs the fruits of it in their lives and converſations, Gal. 5.23. He doth not ſay to ſuch a one, but foreign againſt ſuch there is no Law. Indeed the Moral Law, ſo far as it is againſt believers, is not impoſed but removed by Chriſt. He hath blotted out the hand writing of Ordinances that was againſt us, that was contrary to us, and took it out of the way; nayling it to his Croſs, Col. 2.14 even the hand writing of Moral ordinances, ſo far as it is againſt us, and contrary to us, Chriſt hath taken out of the way. It is againſt us in the rigor; and in the curſe and malediction of it, and conſequently, ſo far it is taken off by Chriſt in relation to believers. But it is not againſt believers in the commands and precepts of it requiring them to love God and ſerve God, &c. No, theſe things ſute with their ſpirits, they are written in their hearts, and therefore they are not deſtroyed, but rather ſtrengthened, and confirmed by Chriſt.
Is it ſo that all mankind is under the authority of Ieſus Chriſt, under Ʋſe 3 his legiſlative power? Then certainly believers muſt not ſtoop to any other legiſlative power, to the prejudice of his. And this is that which the Apoſtle preſſeth hard on the Coloſsians, Col. 2.20. In the foregoing verſe he ſetteth forth the authority of Chriſt; and ſheweth that he is the head and ruler of his people, and preſently comes in with this Interrogation, and why, ſaith he, are you ſubject to Ordinances? by which he doth not mean the Laws of God, but the decrees, and conſtitutions and commands of men. And ſo himſelf explains it afterward in the ſucceeding words, that by thoſe Ordinances he intendeth nothing elſe but the Commandments and doctrines of men. As if he ſhould have ſaid, if you be under the authority of Jeſus Chriſt, Why are you ſubject to the Ordinances and commands of men?
What then, doth the authority of Jeſus Chriſt, Queſt. diſcharge his people from obedience to any ordinances, or commands of men? and are they to be ſubject to him ſo, that they be ſubject to no other governours or rulers in the world? Is the authority and power of Magiſtrates diſſolved by this means?
Anſw. To this I anſwer, No, by no means; and therefore you muſt know that when the Apoſtle ſaith, be ye not ſervants of men, be ye not ſubject to the ordinances and commands of men: he doth not mean it abſolutely, as if we ought not to be ſubject to them any way. It was not his intention to bring in ſuch confuſion, and ſuch Anarchy into the world. For in another place he tells us, that we muſt needs he ſubject to the Magiſtrate, Rom. 13.5. And the Apoſtle Peters Exhortation goes a little further, and is a little more large, 1 Pet. 2.13. Submit your ſelves to every ordinance of man, and that for the Lord ſake; And it is neceſſary that we ſhould do ſo, ſaith he; for ſo is the will of God, verſe 15. of that Chapter.
Theſe two do ſeem apparently to contradict and claſh with one another. Be ye not the ſervants of men, and Ye muſt needs he ſubject to men; be ye not ſubject to the ordinances and commands of men, And yet ſubmit your ſelves to every ordinance of man; and therefore I ſhall cleer it in a word, or two, both with relation to the outward man, and to the conſcience.
For the outward man, that ought not to be ſubject to the Injunctions & commands of men, where they croſs the law of Chriſt, there are ſome commands of men that meddle only with ſuch things as are not comprehended in the Law of Chriſt, but are left by him indifferent, neither commanded nor forbidden. To ſuch as theſe we may and ought to yield obedience; there is no queſtion but the Lawfull Magiſtate hath power concerning things indifferent, to interdict them, or require them for Politick and civil ends, and in relation to the better government or profit, and emolument of thoſe who are ſubjected to his power. And however I am under the authority of Chriſt, I am not free in ſuch a caſe as this is.
There are other Laws of men which concur with Chriſts Laws, commanding that which they command, forbidding that which they forbid; As when Chriſt forbids to ſwear, & when the Magiſtrate forbids to ſwear too; when Chriſt forbids us to profane the Sabbath, and when the Magiſtrate forbids us to prophane it too; There is no ſcruple touching ſuch commands as theſe; for here the Magiſtrate and Chriſt do cloſe, and therefore in obeying one of them, we obey the other too.
But when the Laws of men do contradict the Laws of Chriſt, forbidding that which they command, commanding that they forbid; when their Injunctions claſh with his, we ought not to ſubject our ſelves to them. The authority of Chriſt is the greateſt in the world: his Father (as you have it in my text) hath given him power over all fleſh. And therefore he muſt rather be obeyed then any fleſhly power, if once they come in competition, and if they cannot be obeyed together, in ſuch a caſe as this, my brethren, when the ſame thing ſhall come to be commanded in the Law of Chriſt, forbidden in the Law of man, and ſo upon the other ſide, we have a certain rule to walk by, Act. 5.29. It is better to obey God then men, in ſuch a caſe we cannot be the ſervants of men, becauſe if we be ſo, we cannot be the ſervants of Chriſt; for in obeying them, we throw off the authority of Jeſus Chriſt.
And as we ought not to ſubject our outward man to the commands of men in ſuch a caſe: ſo in the ſecond place we ought not to ſubject our Conſcience to the commands of men in any caſe. The Conſcience is the Lords peculiar, none h…th authority on that but he only. And therefore Chriſt condemns it in the Scribes and Phariſes, They taught for doctrines the commandments of men, Mat. 15.9. They were but conſtitutions and commands of men, and yet they vented them for Doctrines, and impoſed them on the Conſcience; This they ought not to have done; or if they did ſo, they ought not to be yielded to in ſo doing. We ought not to be ſubject to the commands of men, upon ſuch terms as theſe are. The Lord complains of this in Iſrael as a grievous ſin, for which he thunders out a heavy doom againſt them, a Judgement ſo remarkable, that it ſhould come the next ſtep to a miracle, becauſe their fear to him was taught by the precepts of men, Iſa. 29.13. For this the Apoſtle chideth the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 11.…0. Ye ſuffer if a man devour you if a man bring you into bondage, which is not meant of the enthralling of the outward man, but of the captivating of the Conſcience, in the chains of humane conſtitutions and decrees, which theſe deceitful workers mentioned in the former verſes jugled on upon it. Well then ſince Chriſt hath ſuch authority upon us, let none of us ſubject our Conſcience and our faith to men; let them not be Lords of theſe, for they belong to Chriſt and him only. He ſuffers magiſtrates indeed to rule without, over the outward man, but he alone muſt rule within over the conſcience. If any go about to take command on that, or to give Law to that, you muſt ſtand faſt in the Liberty wherewith Chriſt hath made you free, as the Apoſtle counſels you, Gal. 5.1.
Is it ſo that all mankind is under the authority of Jeſus Chriſt? Then Ʋſe 4 let not one man cenſure and condemn another. It is the inference that the Apoſtle makes upon the very ſame ground, James 4.12. There is one Law-giver (ſaith he) that is able both to ſave, and to deſtroy. And what of that? Who art thou that judgeſt another? What authority haſt thou to paſs ſentence on thy brother? you are both under the power, and the authority of Jeſus Chriſt, and therefore let him judge you both, and do not you judge one another.
Why you will ſay, may not one man judge another without any derogation from the authority of Chriſt? yes, if he do it by authority from Chriſt, and according to the rules preſcribed by Chriſt. So one man may judge another and condemn another too, having received power from Chriſt in the Church, and Common-wealth. But if one man judge another of himſelf, without any Lawfull power, and without any real ground, if one man judge another in or about ſuch things as are reſerved to the authority of Chriſt, as ſecret things and the final ſtate of men, and ſuch like, it is a prejudice to the authority of Chriſt and to the power which God hath given him over all fleſh.
And yet, how uſual is it with men to judge, and cenſure one another, when they are not called to it, when they have no right to do it, when they have no ſufficient ground for it? They will judge the hearts of men, they will judge the ends of men which are known to none but God, having neither evidence nor warrant for theſe cenſures. If they be out with any man, preſently he is an Hypocrite, a rotten-hearted wretch, and what not? if he do any doubtful action, they will be ſure to conſtrue it the worſt way; if he do any action clearly good, then he hath ill ends in it, nothing can ſcape their hard cenſures. Nay ſome will paſs their doom upon the final ſtate of men, which none but Chriſt himſelf can judge of. Now, I beſeech you, (my beloved) conſider whoſe authority you violate in this, and whoſe office you aſſume. Remember, Chriſt hath power over all fleſh; he is the Law-giver, who is able both to ſave and to deſtroy; who knows whom he will ſave, and whom he will deſtroy: let him judge all, and do not you judge one another.