Sermons on Hebrew 7, Sermon 9
SERMON IX.
Hebrews 7. 25.
Wherefore he is able to ſave them to the uttermoſt, that come unto God by him, ſeeing he ever liveth to make Interceſſion for them.
THeſe words of the Apoſtle contain the Inference which he makes of all that he had ſaid before, of the Prieſthood of Jeſus Chriſt: He comes to this concluſion. Wherefore Chriſt is able to ſave to the uttermoſt all thoſe that come unto God by him.
This Illative [or word] wherefore, hath a reference to what was ſpoken before: And alſo to what follows after; For the Apoſtle having ſaid before: that Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God, is made a Prieſt, after the order of Melchiſedeck; that he was not made a Prieſt by the Law of a Carnal Command, but by the power of an endleſs Life; That Chriſt was made a Prieſt by a ſolemn Oath, [The Lord hath Sworn and will not Repent, thou art a Prieſt for ever, after the order of Melchiſedeck.] That Jeſus Chriſt is made a ſurety of a better Teſtament: That he endures, and hath an unchangeable Prieſthood.
Wherefore, (ſaith he) he is able to ſave to the uttermoſt.
The Argument may be thus framed: He that is the Eternal Son of God: He that is a Prieſt for ever, and made a Prieſt by the Oath of God: He that hath an unchangeable Prieſthood: He that is the ſurety of a better Covenant; He is able to ſave to the uttermoſt—But all this is Jeſus Chriſt: Wherefore he is able to ſave to the uttermoſt all that come unto him: But then,
The words have alſo a reference to what follows, in the laſt clauſe of this Verſe. [Seeing he ever liveth to maketh Interceſſion for them:] Wherefore he is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, all that come unto God by him, ſeeing he ever liveth to make Interceſſion for them.
And the Argument may alſo be framed: He that ever liveth to make Interceſſion for them; He is able to ſave all that come unto God by him. So that both theſe concluſions are proved: That Jeſus Chriſt is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, all that come unto God by him.
We begin with the firſt branch of this Text: [He is able to ſave to the uttermoſt all that come unto God by him.] Theſe are the words, I ſhall open and apply this Morning, (if God permit.)
To ſave a Soul is a great work, a great and glorious work. All the powers of Heaven and Earth, ſhort of God, cannot ſave a Soul. The Devil can deſtroy Souls, by the Righteous and Juſt Judgment of God: And therefore hath that name given him, which is oppoſite to Chriſt: He is called Abaddon and Apollyon, which ſignifies to deſtroy, in Rev. 9. 11. The Devil I ſay can deſtroy Souls, but he cannot ſave any, he cannot ſave himſelf. 'Tis a great and glorious work to ſave a poor Soul: This is only Chriſt's work; And therefore he is called the Author of Eternal Salvation, Heb. 5. 9. And being made perfect, he became the Author of Eternal Salvation, to all them that obey him, [the Author of Eternal Salvation.] There have been Temporal Saviours; Men that God hath raiſed up in ſeveral Ages and Generations, to deliver his People from the power of their Enemies; when his People were in diſtreſs, God did raiſe them up Saviours: And it was accounted a very great Mercy, to have a Temporal Saviour: To have a Man of Faith and Courage; as Sampſon, and Gideon, and Barack, and others, that would appear for the Church in times of ſtreights. There is a Prophecy in Mic. 5. 5. ſpeaking of Chriſt. And this Man ſhall be the Peace, when the Aſſyrian ſhall come into the Land; and when he ſhall tread in our Palaces, then ſhall we raiſe againſt him ſeven Shepherds, and eight Principal Men that are worthy Inſtruments; that ſhall riſe up to oppoſe the Aſſyrians power. The Aſſyrians power is made a Type of the Antichriſtian power. God hath his principal Men, and his principal Inſtruments, to ſave his People. Theſe are under Chriſt: But he only is the Author of Eternal Salvation. And this Salvation, this Eternal Salvation, that Jeſus Chriſt brings, is an unſpeakable mercy: The very thoughts of it gives abundance of comfort. If we do but conſider what he ſaves us from, and what he ſaves us to.
Firſt, What he ſaves us from.] He ſaves a poor ſinner from his ſin, and from all the miſery that comes along with it. His name ſhall be called Jeſus, for he ſhall ſave his people from their ſins, ſaith the Angel in Matth. 1. 24. He ſhall ſave his people from their ſins, i. e. from all thoſe miſeries that their ſins bring upon them or would bring upon them. [For ſin is the cauſe of all miſery▪] And to be ſaved from ſin, is to be ſaved from all miſery. What would the Devils in Hell give to be ſaved from their miſery, that their ſin hath brought upon them? What would the Rich Glutton in the Goſpel give to be ſaved from his miſery? We are not aware what he ſaves us from.
Then, if we conſider, what he ſaves us to, or brings us to, by this Salvation.] Chriſt brings us into his favour and grace; brings us into that bleſſed ſtate in Heaven, where there is all ſafety, and ſecurity, and bleſſing; where the Devil, nor his Inſtruments can never break in upon us, to intercept our peace, Rev. 21. 9. God ſhall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there ſhall be no more death, neither ſorrow, nor crying; neither ſhall there be any more pain. To be brought into Communion with God, with the holy Angels, and with the glorified Saints, and with Jeſus Chriſt the Head of the Church: An Everlaſting Communion. Oh the Salvation that our Lord Jeſus Chriſt brings us to! There is no ſolitude in Heaven! Here we complain of a ſolitude, and a ſolitary life: We want company, we want converſe in the World: But there will be an everlaſting converſe with the great God, ſo far as our Natures are capable of coming near to him: An everlaſting converſe with our Redeemer, with the holy Angels, and with the glorified Saints. Who is able to expreſs the Salvation our Lord Jeſus Chriſt brings us to! This is the Hope and Faith of the Goſpel. But I do but touch upon theſe things by the by.
Now, ſaith the Apoſtle, he is able to ſave to the uttermoſt—He carries it through. Now, to do a thing to the uttermoſt, is to do all that can or ought to be added to that thing. For there is nothing to be added to that work which is wrought to the uttermoſt: So our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, in this Salvation work, he carries it thorow to the uttermoſt; to the uttermoſt. There is nothing to be added to our Salvation. And therefore our Proteſtant Divines ſtand much upon this Scripture, againſt all Popiſh Adorations. If Jeſus Chriſt be able to ſave to the uttermoſt; then there is no need of Merit; Meritorious works; no need of Prieſts, Oblations, Popiſh Pardons and Indulgences. And if our Lord Jeſus Chriſt is able to ſave to the uttermoſt; then away with all Merits, and all Prieſts for Oblations; and all things that the ignorant Souls of men reſt in. He is able (ſaith the Apoſtle) to ſave to the uttermoſt [Able to ſave] that is a word of great emphaſis. Chriſt is able to carry through the great work of Salvation. That is the point we are to inſiſt upon.
The work of Salvation is a great work. 'Tis a greater work than the work of Creation. For, mind it, the works of the great God, ſome are greater than others; and this work of Salvation is the greateſt of all his works. The work of Creation is a great work, and Gods Wiſdom, his Omnipotence and his Goodneſs, is much to be adored in the works of Creation. For the work, in two reſpects.
1. As it is a work that all the three perſons in the Sacred Trinity, in the Godhead, did co-operate and work together in God the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt created the World. For, though we ſay [God the Father is Maker] God the Father hath that work Attributed to him; not that he did it without his Son, and without the Holy Ghoſt, Heb. 1. 2. It is ſaid, by Jeſus Chriſt God made the World. The Son wrought with the Father. And you read in Geneſis, That the Holy Ghoſt alſo moved upon the face of the Deep. So that the work of Creation is the work of the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. A great work.
Then again,
2. If you conſider the work it ſelf. The work of Creation is a great and wonderful work. [For, mind it.] The Great God, to make all things out of nothing. This is a work, that none but God could do. For God to make Heaven and Earth, Angels and Men, and all living Creatures, and all out of nothing; it is a work of an Infinite God. [For, mind it.] The wiſeſt, and the ſtrongeſt man in the World, cannot make a Houſe, or a poor Cottage, out of nothing: He muſt have matter to work upon. Man can make nothing out of nothing. And therefore the Philoſopher took up this Maxim, [Nothing produceth nothing.] You cannot make a thing out of nothing. Man cannot make one drop of Water to drink out of nothing; he muſt go ſomewhere for that Water. But for the Great God to raiſe Heaven and Earth out of nothing, is to be adored. And therefore (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) When I conſider the Heavens, the work of thy hands, the Sun, Moon and Stars, I ſaid, What is man, Lord, that thou ſhouldſt be ſo mindful of him? The work of Creation is a great and glorious work, beyond all the power of Men and Angels: But ſtill the work of Salvation is greater than that: For God is pleaſed to magnifie that work, and to be at more coſt about that work, than he was about the work of Creation: And in two reſpects, the work of Salvation is greater than the work of Creation.
Firſt, Becauſe in the work of Creation, there was nothing to reſiſt God in that work; there were no Devils then in Being, to Rebel againſt that work of God: There was no wicked reprobate Perſon to reſiſt God in the work of Creation: But in the work of Salvation, Men and Devils oppoſe the Wiſdom of God, and the Power of God, and the Grace of God: But he carries it through all oppoſition.
Secondly, Though the work of Creation was a great work of God; Yet there was no need that the Son of God ſhould be made manifeſt in the Fleſh for that work: The work of Creation could be carried on without the Incarnation of the Son of God. God did but ſay, Let there be Light, and there was Light, Gods word did all there. By Faith we underſtand, the World was made by the Word of God, Heb. 11. 3. But when God comes to work Salvation for mankind, there is a great train of Work: The Son of God muſt be made Man, and ſuffer Death for poor Man, and he muſt riſe again: So that the work of Salvation, is greater than the work of Creation.
But how is Chriſt ſaid to be able to ſave, and to carry on this work?
Firſt, As he is God [the Almighty God] ſo nothing can ſtand before him, to hinder the accompliſhment of that which he hath undertaken, to ſave a Soul from Death: Where Chriſt undertakes for that, all the powers of Hell cannot hinder it. If he had been but a meer Man, he had been ſtopped in this work: Men and Devils would have hindred him in this work: I ſay Reprobate Men and Devils, would have hindred him in this work: But being God, he Triumphs over Principalities and Powers, as you have it in Col. 2. 15. He ſpoiled Principalities and Powers. Theſe Principalities and Powers are the Devils, which Reign in their Kingdom, as Princes and Potentates do here on Earth: But the Devils themſelves dread our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as you may ſee, Mat. 8. 29. they cryed out, What have we to do with thee, Jeſus thou Son of God? Art thou come to Torment us before the time? They knew him to be the Son of God, and they begg'd leave of him, to go into the Herd of Swine. Thus you ſee our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as he is God, hath power to overcome all the Devils in Hell: Therefore he is able to ſave them; for the Devils dreaded Chriſt, and ſaid, Art thou come to torment us before the time? They knew Chriſt would come to Judge them one day, and they were unwilling to come to Judgment before their time. Now as he is the mighty God; and as all the Powers of Hell are under him, ſo he is able to ſave to the uttermoſt: none can ſtand before him, to hinder his accompliſhing the work of Salvation.
Secondly, He is able to ſave, as he is our great High-prieſt over the houſe of God: That the Apoſtle would have us to keep our eye upon, as he is the Prieſt of God. All the Prieſts before him were not able to ſave them that came to God, by them; tho' they did good ſervice, and were uſeful in offering Gifts and Sacrifices for the People, yet they could not ſave them. But our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as he is the Prieſt of God, as he is the Surety of a better Covenant, as he offered himſelf a Sacrifice for ſin, he is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, all that come unto God by him.
And ſo we come to this: Where we have a Limitation, in reſpect of the bleſſings of Chriſts Death. [It is for all that come unto God by him] Not but that Chriſt is able to ſave all Mankind. The dignity of his perſon [God-Man] The Merit of his Suffering, [ſufficient to ſave all Mankind.] But this Limitation ſhews, That none had benefit by Chriſt, but thoſe that come unto God by him. It is one thing to be able to ſave, and another thing for people to have the benefit of that Salvation. Suppoſe a man be able to ſave all the poor in the Town; yet none have the benefit of it, but thoſe that come to him for their relief. There is a great deal of difference between Ability and Benefit. So our Lord Jeſus Chriſt is able to ſave to the uttermoſt; but it is them that come unto God by him that are ſaved. Not that there is any Merit in our coming to God: For what Merit is there in Beggars coming for an Alms? We come to God by Chriſt, as Beggars for an Alms. But ſtill we muſt come, and we muſt come by Jeſus Chriſt, if we will have any benefit by his Salvation. There are multitudes of people in the World, whoſe caſe is very deplorable. Jews, Turks and Heathens, they all have their Devotions grounded upon ſomething The Jews come to God according to the Jewiſh way. The Turks have their coming to God, for the great Article of their Faith. We believe there is is one only true God. And the Heathens have their way of coming to God. But becauſe none of theſe have their coming to God, by Jeſus Chriſt, therefore they have no benefit by Jeſus Chriſt. The Papiſts, who prove the Chriſtian Faith, do run a great hazard of their Salvation, by coming to God, by other Mediators, than by Jeſus Chriſt. For the bleſſed Saints, and the Virgin Mary, are not able to ſave, and be a Mediator for them, 1 Tim. 2. 5. For there is but one God, and one Mediator between God and Man, the Man Chriſt Jeſus. So that here you have the Limitation of that Salvation, which is by Chriſt. [He is able to ſave all to the uttermoſt that come unto God by him.]
But then you will ſay, What are we to underſtand by the phraſe of coming to God by Jeſus Chriſt? What is meant by [coming?]
I anſwer; [Coming] is a metaphorical word, tranſlated from the Body to the Soul. As thus, the Body hath its motion, you know it goes and comes, this or that way: So the Soul of Man hath its motion, it goes or comes; it goes to God, or comes from God. Now coming, in Scripture, when it is applied to God, and Chriſt, it always imports a believing, a truſting in; a reſting upon God in Jeſus Chriſt. For Faith is the foot of a Soul, by which the Soul is coming unto God: It brings the Soul to Chriſt, to take up with him. It is the ſame with coming unto the Throne of Grace, Heb. 4. 16. Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need; i. e. Let our Souls go out to Gods Grace, in Chriſt, and there Reſt. As Unbelief is called a departing from the Living God, Heb. 3. and the latter end. Now, you know what it is to depart from God: It is, when you caſt off all hope, and truſting in him: When your hearts run out to ſin, and grow dead towards God; when you have no delight in keeping up Communion with him, this is a departing from him. So coming to him, is an act of the Soul, whereby the Soul goes out to him, in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as the Sacrifice for ſin. The Soul goes out to him by Faith, and reſts upon him, by ſuch a Faith, as doth purifie the heart, and reform the life.
Many that are called Chriſtians, they have a notion, by which they greatly deceive themſelves: And that is this; They think and ſay, that God is merciful; that Jeſus Chriſt died for ſinners; and therefore, tho' they be ſtrangers to the life of Faith, and have lived in much Ignorance, yet they ſay, they doubt not of their Salvation; for God is merciful; and Chriſt died for ſinners.
As it is true, that God is merciful, beyond all our apprehenſions: And it is alſo true, that Jeſus Chriſt died for ſinners; Yet the Scripture muſt be believed. It is only for ſuch ſinners as have a Coming-faith to him; ſuch a Faith as may unite their Souls to him. For [mind it] You read in Luke 14. where our Saviour compares the Grace of God, in the Salvation of poor ſinners, to a man that made a great Supper for his Gueſts, and invited them; but when they all refuſed to come, read v. 24. I ſay unto you, None of them that were bidden ſhall taſte of my Supper. Why ſhall they not taſte of it? Why? becauſe they refuſed to come upon his Invitation; and therefore none of them which were bidden ſhall taſte of my Supper. This is to ſhadow out Gods way, with poor ſlighty ſinners. That Soul that is taken up with his Farm and Oxen, the Lord ſaith, he ſhall not taſte of his Supper. You muſt not therefore reſt in general notions: For, as it is one of the greateſt miſeries in the World to want a coming-heart to Chriſt; ſo on the other hand, it is one of the greateſt mercies that we can enjoy, in this life, to have a coming-heart to Jeſus Chriſt; to have a heart going out to Jeſus Chriſt. It is very obſervable, what our Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſpake, in Matth. 7. He tells us, In the laſt days, there will be many come to ſeek admittance into his Kingdom, for what they had done. In v. 22. Many will ſay unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not propheſied in thy Name, and in thy Name have caſt out Devils, & in thy Name have done many wonderful works? Then will I profeſs to them, I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Chriſt will ſay, I never knew them. How is this to be underſtood? Pray conſider: Chriſt knew all men: He did know the perſons of theſe men, that did come and plead thus with him: But when he ſaid, he never knew them; his meaning is, he never had any Communion with him; and they did never come to him, and act Faith in him. Our Lord will ſay at the great day, You talk of Gifts, and Parts, and Service; but I never had your hearts. And therefore it is a great mercy to have a heart to come to Jeſus Chriſt; to live that life we live in the fleſh, in the Faith of the Son of God.
Come we now to ſome Application, and that is of Direction, to poor ſinners that are ſtrangers to coming to God by Chriſt. It may be you come to hear the Word of God, and you do well. Sometimes you come to pray, to pray for mercy in affliction; you do well. But there is another coming to Chriſt, which is by Faith; and therefore never reſt in any thing of hearing, and praying, until you have brought up your hearts to come to Chriſt, by Faith reſt upon him—And, ſaith Chriſt, No man cometh to me, except my Father draw him.
I know that a Natural Conſcience will put a man upon coming to God in Prayer: But no Natural Conſcience will put a man to come unto God by Chriſt.
A ſecond Uſe is, to thoſe that act Faith, and come to God by Chriſt. Remember, that he is able to ſave to the uttermoſt. Reſt upon the power of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. I remember when God did ſet up Saul to be King over Iſrael; it is ſaid in 1 Sam. 10. There you may read, that many of the people deſpiſed him, and ſaid, How can this man ſave us? They looked upon him as a weakling. But the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, he is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, by his Almighty Power. You may believe he is our great High-Prieſt. You find there in the firſt Book of Sam. chap. 17. that the Philiſtines truſted in their Champion Goliath, who was but a man. But our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, he is the great Goliath; he encountred with Devils, with Hell, and with the World, and overcame all of them. He hath ſatisfied the Law, and Juſtice; and ever liveth to make Interceſſion to God, for all thoſe that come unto God by him. But of that afterward.