Sermons and Discourses Volume 5, Sermon 8
SERMON VIII. The Authority of Jeſus Chriſt, with the Commiſſion and Promiſe which he gave to his Apoſtles.
MAT. XXVIII.18, 19, 20.
And Jeſus came and ſpake unto them, ſaying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth: Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt: Teaching them to obſerve all things whatſoever I have commanded you: And lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the World.
THESE Words are the laſt that our Bleſſed Saviour ſpake to his Apoſtles, immediately before his Aſcenſion into Heaven; and there are theſe Three things contained in them.
Vol. V.I. A Declaration of his own Authority; All power is given unto me both in heaven and in earth.
II. A Commiſſion to his Diſciples, grounded upon that Authority; Go ye therefore, and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghoſt: Teaching them to obſerve all things whatſoever I have commanded you.
III. A Promiſe to encourage them in this work; And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
I. Here's our Saviour's Declaration of his own Authority; All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Here's an unlimited Power and Authority given him over all Creatures in Heaven and Earth. This, the Scripture tells us, was conferred upon him, as a Reward of his Sufferings; Phil. 2.8, 9, 10. He humbled himſelf, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Croſs. Wherefore God alſo hath highly exalted him, and given him a Name, which is above every name; that at the Name of Jeſus every knee ſhould bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; that is, that all Creatures, Angels, and Men, and Devils, ſhould do Homage, and acknowledge Subjection to him.
II. Here is the Commiſſion he gave to his Apoſtles, by virtue of this Authority; Go ye therefore and teach all Nations. The Commiſſion which he here gives, is founded in the Authority he had before received. Having all Power committed to him, he conſtitutes and appoints the Apoſtles and their Succeſſors, to manage the Affairs of this his ſpiritual Kingdom upon Earth; and this ſeems to be the ſame Commiſſion, which St. John mentions in other words, John 20.21. As my Father hath ſent me, even ſo ſend I you; that is, as my Father commiſſion'd me before, ſo now having received full Authority from him, I commiſſion you.
Now in this Commiſſion, which our Saviour gave to his Diſciples, I ſhall take notice
Firſt, Of the general Import and Deſign of it.
Secondly, A more particular Declaration how they were to manage this Deſign.
Firſt, The general Import and Deſign of this Commiſſion; Go ye and teach all Nations. The word which we tranſlate teach, is foreign, diſciple all Nations, endeavour to make all the World Chriſtians. One would think here was a Power plainly enough given them, to preach the Goſpel to the Gentiles, as well as to the Jews. Which will more fully appear, if we compare this paſſage in St. Matthew with the other Evangeliſts. St. Mark, oh. 16.15. hath it; Go ye into all the world, and preach the Goſpel to every creature. From which Text I ſuppoſe St. Francis thought himſelf bound to preach to Beaſts and Birds, and accordingly did it very often, and with wonderful ſucceſs, as they tell us in the Legend of his Life. But to extend our Saviour's Commiſſion ſo far, is want of Common ſenſe; in which St. Francis (tho' they tell us he had other Gifts and Graces to an eminent degree) was plainly defective.
But to proceed, St. Luke, ch. 24.47. tells us, our Saviour commanded, that Repentance and remiſſion of Sins ſhould be preached in his Name among all Nations, beginning at Jeruſalem. So that their Commiſſion did plainly extend to the Gentiles, as well as to the Jews; only they were to begin with the Jews, and to preach the Goſpel firſt to them, and when they had gone over Judea and Samaria, then to paſs to other Nations, as St. Luke doth moſt expreſly declare, Acts 1.8▪ Ye ſhall receive power; after that the holy Ghoſt is come upon you, and ye ſhall be witneſſes unto me, both in Jeruſalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermoſt parts of the earth.
But ſee the ſtrange power of Prejudice, to blind the Eyes even of good Men, in the plaineſt matters. The Diſciples of our Saviour, for all they had entertained a new Religion, yet they retained the old Pride and Prejudice of their Nation, againſt the reſt of the World; as if none but themſelves had any ſhare in the favour of God, or were to have any part in the Salvation of the Meſſias.
Our Saviour did ſo far conſider this Prejudice of theirs, that he never in his life time acquainted them with this matter, ſo as to make them fully to underſtand it, becauſe they were not able to bear it. And it is very probable, that this is one of thoſe things which our Saviour meant, John 16.12, 13. I have yet many things to ſay unto you; but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth. That is, he ſhould lead them into the knowledge of thoſe Truths, of which they were not then capable. And tho' our Saviour, after his Reſurrection, ſeems to have declared this ſufficiently to them; yet by their practice after his Aſcenſion, it appears that they underſtood all this only of the Jews, namely that they were to preach the Goſpel firſt to the Jews that were at Jeruſalem, and in Judea, and then to thoſe that were diſperſed in other Nations; for 'tis clear from the Hiſtory of their firſt Preaching, recorded in the Acts, that they preached to none but to the Jews, and the Proſelytes of the Jewiſh Religion. So ſtrong was their Prejudice, that they had not the leaſt ſuſpicion that this Bleſſing of the Goſpel was intended for the Heathen World; nor were they convinced to the contray, 'till St. Peter had a ſpecial Viſion and Revelation to this purpoſe, and the Holy Ghoſt came upon the Gentiles in miraculous gifts, as he had done before upon the Jews that were converted to Chriſtianity. And thus the Spirit of God led them into this Truth, and then they underſtood this Command of our Saviour's in a larger Senſe. And to this St. Peter plainly refers, Acts 10.42. where he tells us, how that Chriſt after his Reſurrection appeared to them, and commanded them to preach unto the People. So likewiſe do Paul and Barnabas, Acts 13.46. where they ſpeak thus to the Jews, It was neceſſary that the word ſhould firſt be preached to you, but ſeeing you put it from you, lo we turn to the Gentiles, for ſo hath the Lord commanded us. Now he no where commanded this, but in this Commiſſion, which he gave them before his Aſcenſion.
Secondly, You have here a particular declaration how they were to manage this work of making Diſciples to the Chriſtian Religion.
1. By baptizing them into the Chrſtian Faith.
2. By inſtructing them in the Precepts and Practices of a Chriſtian Life.
1. By baptizing them into the Chriſtian Faith, which is here call'd baptizing them into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghoſt. Baptiſm is a ſolemn Rite appointed by our Saviour for the initiating of Perſons into the Chriſtian Religion: But it was a Ceremony in uſe before, both among the Jews and Gentiles. The Heathen obſerved it at the initiating Perſons into their Religious Myſteries; and the Jews, when they admitted Proſelytes to their Religion; at which time the Males (as Maimonides tells us) were both circumciſed and baptized, the Women were only baptized. One Circumſtance of the Baptiſm of grown Perſons was, that ſtanding in the Water up to the Neck, they recited ſeveral Precepts of the Law. And as the Jewiſh Writers further tell us, this Ceremony did not only belong to them that were of grown Years, but to the Children of Proſelytes, if it were deſired, upon condition, that when they came to Years they ſhould continue in that Religion.
Now tho' this was a religious Ceremony uſed both by Jews and Gentiles, and without any Divine Inſtitution, that we know of, our bleſſed Saviour (who in none of his Inſtitutions ſeems to have favour'd unneceſſary Innovations) was ſo far from the ſuperſtition of declining it upon this account, that it had been in religious uſe both among Jews and Gentiles, that he ſeems the rather to have choſen it for that very reaſon. For ſeeing it was a common Rite of all Religions, and in it ſelf very ſignificant of that Purity which is the great deſign of all Religion, it was the more likely to find the eaſier Acceptance, and to be moſt ſuitable to that, which he intended to be the univerſal Religion of the World.
As for the form of Baptiſm, into the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt, it plainly refers to that ſhort Creed, or Profeſſion of Faith, which was required of thoſe that were to be baptized, anſwerable to the reciting of the Precepts of the Law, at the baptizing of Proſelytes among the Jews; now the Articles of this Creed were reduced to theſe three Heads, of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, and contains what was neceſſary to be believed concerning each of theſe. And this probably is that which the Apoſtle calls the Doctrine of Baptiſm, Heb. 6.2. viz. a ſhort Summary of the Chriſtian Faith, the Profeſſion whereof was to be made at Baptiſm; of which the moſt ancient Fathers make ſo frequent mention, calling it the rule of Faith. It was a great while indeed before Chriſtians tied themſelves ſtrictly to that very form of Words, which we now call the Apoſtles Creed, but the Senſe was the ſame, tho every one expreſt it in his own Words; nay the ſame Father reciting it upon ſeveral Occaſions, does not confine himſelf to the very ſame Expreſſions: A plain indication that they were not then ſtrictly bound up to any form of Words, but retaining the ſenſe and ſubſtance of the Articles, every one expreſt them as he pleaſed. So that to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt, is to perform this Rite or Sacrament by the Authority of, and with ſpecial Relation to the three Perſons of the bleſſed Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, as the chief Objects of the Chriſtian Faith, whereof ſolemn Profeſſion was then made. So that upon this form in Baptiſm appointed by our Saviour, compared with what is elſewhere ſaid in Scripture, concerning the Divinity of the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt, is principally founded the Doctrine of the bleſſed Trinity, I mean in that ſimplicity in which the Scripture hath delivered it, and not as it hath been ſince confounded and entangled in the Cobwebs and Niceties of the Schools. The Scripture indeed no where calls them Perſons, but ſpeaks of them as we do of ſeveral Perſons, and therefore that word is not unfitly uſed to expreſs the difference between them, or at leaſt we do not know a fitter word for that purpoſe.
By baptizing then in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, is meant, the initiating of Men by this ſolemn Rite or Ceremony into the Chriſtian Religion, upon their profeſſion of the neceſſary Doctrines of it, concerning the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, and a ſolemn Stipulation and Engagement to live according to thoſe Doctrines: Which promiſe of a ſuitable Life and Practice was likewiſe made at the ſame time, as Juſtin Martyr and other of the ancient Fathers do teſtify.
But before I leave this Head, it is very fit to take particular notice what uſe the Anabaptiſts make of this Text, ſo as in effect to lay the whole ſtreſs of their Cauſe upon it; as if by virtue of this Command of our Saviour's, and the manner wherein it is expreſt, all Infants, even thoſe of Chriſtian Parents, who are themſelves already admitted into the new Covenant of the Goſpel, were excluded from Baptiſm; becauſe it is here ſaid by our Saviour, Go ye, and diſciple all Nations, baptizing them; from whence they infer, (and very clearly and ſtrongly as they think) that none are to be baptized, but ſuch as are firſt throughly inſtructed in the Chriſtian Religion, and made Diſciples, which Infants are not, but only thoſe who are grown to ſome Maturity of Years and Underſtanding: But the Opinion and Practice of the ancient Church in this matter, is a ſufficient Bar to this Inference, at leaſt to the clearneſs of it. And indeed it cannot reaſonably be imagined, that the Apoſtles, who had all of them been bred up in the Jewiſh Religion, which conſtantly, and by virtue of a divine Precept and Inſtitution, admitted Infants into that Church, and to the benefits of that Covenant, by the Rite of Circumciſion, and likewiſe the Infants of Proſelytes by Baptiſm, (as I obſerved before) I ſay no Man can reaſonably imagine, that the Apoſtles could underſtand our Saviour, as intending by any conſequence from this Text, to exclude the Children of Chriſtians out of the Chriſtian Church, and to debar them of the benefits of the New Covenant of the Goſpel: The Children of Chriſtians being every whit as capable of being taken into this new Covenant, and of partaking of the Benefits of it, as Children of the Jews were of being admitted into the old: Unleſs we will ſuppoſe (which at firſt ſight ſeems very harſh and unreaſonable) that by the terms of the Chriſtian Religion, Children are in a much worſe condition, than the Children of the Jews were under the Law. So that the parity of Reaſon being ſo plain, nothing leſs than an expreſs Prohibition from our Saviour, and an exception of Children from Baptiſm, can be thought ſufficient to deprive the Children of Chriſtians of any Privilege, of which the Jewiſh were capable. For the plain meaning of this Commiſſion to the Apoſtles is, to go and proſelyte all Nations to the Chriſtian Religion, and to admit them ſolemnly into it by Baptiſm, as the Jews were wont to proſelyte Men to their Religion by Circumciſion and Baptiſm; by which Rites alſo they took in the Children of the Proſelytes, upon promiſe that when they came to Years they ſhould continue in that Religion. And if this was our Saviour's meaning, the Apoſtles had no reaſon, from the Tenor of their Commiſſion, to underſtand that the Children of Chriſtian Proſelytes were any more excluded, than the Children of Proſelytes to the Jewiſh Religion, unleſs our Saviour had expreſly excepted them; for it is a favourable Caſe, and in a matter of Privilege, and therefore ought not to be determined to debar Children of it, upon any obſcure conſequence from a Text, which it is certain was never ſo underſtood by the Chriſtian Church, for 1500 Years together. I have done with the firſt part of their Commiſſion, which was to diſciple or proſelyte all Nations to the Chriſtian Religion, and to admit them into the Chriſtian Church, by the Rite or Sacrament of Baptiſm. I proceed to conſider the
Second part of their Commiſſion, which was to inſtruct Men in the Precepts and Duties of a Chriſtian Life, teaching them to obſerve all things whatſoever I have commanded you. You ſee how their Commiſſion bounds and limits them, they were to teach others thoſe Precepts which Chriſt had taught and deliver'd to them; they had no Power by virtue of this Commiſſion to make new Laws, which ſhould be of univerſal and perpetual Obligation, and conſequently neceſſary to the Salvation of all Chriſtians; they were only to be the Publiſhers, but not the Authors of this new Religion. And therefore St. Paul, when the Corinthians conſulted him about ſeveral things relating to Marriage and Virginity, he only gives his advice, but would not take upon him to make a Law in thoſe caſes that ſhould be binding to all Chriſtians. And for the ſame Reaſon Chriſtians do generally at this day, think themſelves abſolved from the Obligation of that Canon, which was made even in a Council of the Apoſtles, as to all thoſe Branches of it, the reaſon whereof is now c…aſed. But notwithſtanding this, the Authority which our Saviour conferred upon his Apoſtles to teach his Doctrine, does in the nature of it neceſſarily imply a Power of governing the Societies of Chriſtians, under ſuch Officers, and by ſuch Rules, as are moſt ſuitable to the nature of ſuch a Society, and moſt fit to promote the great Ends of the Chriſtian Religion: For without this power of governing, they cannot be ſuppos'd to be endowed with ſufficient Authority to teach; and therefore in purſuance of this Commiſſion, we find that the Apoſtles did govern the Societies of Chriſtians by ſuch Rules and Conſtitutions, as were fitted to the then preſent circumſtances of Chriſtianity. And as they did appoint temporary Officers upon emergent Occaſions, ſo they conſtituted others that were of perpetual uſe in the Church, for the inſtructing and governing of Chriſtians, and that in ſuch a ſubordination to one another, as would be moſt effectual to the attaining of the end of Government; which ſubordination of Governors, hath not only been uſed in all Religions, but in all the well regulated Civil Societies that ever were in the World. And this may ſuffice to have ſpoken of the ſecond part of their Commiſſion.
The Third and laſt thing in the Text, is the Promiſe which our Saviour here makes for the encouragement of the Apoſtles in this Work; Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world; that is, tho' I be going from you in perſon, yet I will ſtill be preſent with you by my Power and Spirit. And ſurely this muſt needs be a great Encouragement to have him engaged for their Aſſiſtance who had all power in heaven and earth committed to him, as he tells them at the 18th. verſe.
I ſhall endeavour therefore, as far as the time will permit, to explain to you the true meaning and extent of this Promiſe. That it is primarily made to the Apoſtles, no man can doubt, that conſiders that it was ſpoken to them immediately by our Saviour; and in regard to them, the meaning of it is plainly this, that our Saviour would ſend down the Holy Ghoſt upon them, in miraculous Gifts, to quality and enable them for the more ſpeedy planting and propagating of the Goſpel in the World, and that he would be with them, and aſſiſt them extraordinarily in this Work.
And that this is the primary meaning of it, in regard to the Apoſtles, will be very plain, by conſidering how this Promiſe is expreſt by the other Evangeliſts; Mark 16.17. inſtead of this Promiſe, you have theſe words, immediately after our Saviour had given them Commiſſion to go and preach the Goſpel, Go ye into all the World, and preach the Goſpel to every Creature: He that believeth and is baptized, ſhall be ſaved, but he that believeth not ſhall be damned. And then it follows, Theſe ſigns ſhall follow them that believe; in my Name they ſhall caſt out Devils, and ſhall ſpeak with new Tongues. And Luke 24.39. inſtead of Lo, I am with you, it is ſaid, Behold, I ſend the promiſe of my Father upon you, that is, the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghoſt; for it follows in the next Words, but tarry ye in the City of Jeruſalem, until ye be endowed with power from on high. This St. Luke himſelf interprets of the Promiſe of the Holy Ghoſt, Acts 1.4 5 He commanded them that they ſhould not depart from Jeruſalem, but wait for the promiſe of the Father, which, ſaith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with Water, but ye ſhall be baptized with the Holy Ghoſt, not many days hence. And v. 8. Ye ſhall receive power after that the Holy Ghoſt is come upon you, and ye ſhall be witneſſes unto me, both in Jeruſalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermoſt part of the Earth. So that no Man that compares theſe Texts together, can doubt, but that this was the primary meaning of this Promiſe, as it was made to the Apoſtles.
But then it is as plain likewiſe, that this Promiſe is to be extended farther than to the Perſons of the Apoſtles, even to all thoſe that ſhould afterwards ſucceed them in this Work of Preaching the Goſpel, and baptizing, becauſe our Saviour adds, that he would be with them to the end of the world; which Words becauſe they reach far beyond the Apoſtles Times, (as I ſhall ſhew by and by) muſt neceſſarily be extended to ſuch Perſons in after-Ages, as ſhould carry on the ſame Work.
There are two famous Controverſies about the Senſe of theſe Words, in which this Promiſe is expreſt.
The Firſt is concerning the Circumſtance of time mentioned in this Promiſe, Alway, to the end of the World.
The other concerning the Subſtance of the Promiſe it ſelf, what is meant by our Saviour's being with them. In the firſt we have to deal with the Enthuſiaſts, in the latter with the Papiſts. I ſhall examine the Pretences of both theſe, as briefly and plainly as I can.
Firſt, Concerning the Circumſtance of time expreſt in theſe words, Alway, to the end of the world. The Enthuſiaſts would perſuade us, that the meaning of theſe Phraſes is not to be extended beyond that Age, and that this Promiſe is to be limited to the Apoſtles Perſons, and that the Senſe of it is, that Chriſt would be with the Apoſtles, foreign, all their Days, ſo long as they ſhould live, and that would be, foreign, to the end of that Age; thus they tranſlate it, and with no worſe deſign than to take away the Neceſſity of a Goſpel-Miniſtry.
But this Pretence will vaniſh, if we can make good theſe two things.
1. That the Letter of this Promiſe extends farther than the Perſons of the Apoſtles, and the continuance of that Age.
2. However that be, it is certain that the reaſon of it extends to all that ſhould ſucceed them in their Miniſtry, to the end of the World.
1. The Letter of this Promiſe extends farther than the Perſons of the Apoſtles, and the continuance of that Age. I will eaſily grant that the Phraſe foreign ſignifies only continually; I will be with you continually; but then the other Phraſe, foreign, until the end of the World, is ſeveral times in Scripture undeniably uſed for the End and Diſſolution of all things, and cannot with any Probability be ſhewn to be ever uſed otherwiſe. In this Senſe it is unqueſtionably uſed three times, Matth. 13. The Harveſt is the end of the World. v. 39. So ſhall it be at the end of the World. v. 40. and v. 49. it is ſaid, that at the end of the World, the Angels ſhall come forth, and ſever the wicked from the juſt, and caſt them into the Furnace; which muſt either be underſtood of the end of the World, and of the day of Judgment, or there will be no clear Text in the whole Bible to that purpoſe; and it is very probable, that this Phraſe is uſed in the ſame Senſe, Matth. 24.3. where the Diſciples ask our Saviour, What ſhall be the ſign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? as will appear to any one that conſiders our Saviour's Anſwer to this Queſtion; the latter part whereof cannot, without too much Violence, be accommodated to any thing but the final Diſſolution of the World. Now if this Phraſe be every where elſe in Scripture uſed in this Senſe, there is no reaſon why it ſhould be taken otherwiſe in the Text, only to ſerve the purpoſe of an unreaſonable Opinion.
I know there are Phraſes very near a-kin to this, which are uſed in a quite different Senſe, namely, for the expiration of the Jewiſh State; and that we may know how to diſtinguiſh them, it is obſervable, that when the Scripture ſpeaks of the end of the World, it is called foreign, the end of the Age, in the ſingular Number; but when it ſpeaks of the Times before the Goſpel, it always expreſſeth them in the plural; the reaſon of which is, that famous Tradition among the Jews, of the Houſe of Elias, which diſtributed the whole duration of the World into three Ages; the Age before the Law, the Age under the Law, and the Age of the Meſſias; and this laſt Age they looked on with great difference from the reſt, as the famous and glorious Age, which was to be as it were the beginning of a new World: And therefore the Jews in their Writings conſtantly call it the ſeculum ſuturum, the Age, or the World to come: And therefore the Apoſtle in this Epiſtle to the Hebrews, calls the State of the Goſpel by that name, as beſt known to them, Heb. 2.5. But unto the Angels hath he not put in ſubjection the world to come, whereof we now ſpeak; that is, the Law was given by the diſpoſition of Angels; but the diſpenſation of the Goſpel, which is call'd the World to come, was managed and adminiſtred by the Son of God. So likewiſe Heb. 6.5. thoſe miraculous Powers which accompanied the firſt preaching of the Goſpel. are call'd foreign, the Powers of the World to come, that is, of the Goſpel-Age.
So that this laſt Age of the Goſpel, is that which the Scripture by way of Eminency calls the Age; thoſe that went before are conſtantly call'd foreign, the Ages, in the plural number. So we find, Eph. 3.9. the Goſpel is call'd the diſpenſation of the Myſtery that was hid in God, foreign, from Ages; and you have the ſame Phraſe, Col. 1.26. Upon the ſame account, the expiration of the Jewiſh State, is in Scripture called the laſt times, and the laſt days, Heb. 1.2. But in theſe laſt days, God hath ſpoken to us by his Son: 1 Cor. 10.11. Theſe things are written for our Admonition, upon whom foreign foreign, the ends of the Ages are come. In the ſame Senſe the Apoſtle, Heb. 9.26. ſpeaking of Chriſt, ſays, that he appeared, foreign, at the end of the Ages, to take away Sin; that is, at the Concluſion of the Ages which had gone before, in the laſt Age. So that if we will be governed in the Interpretation of this Text, by the conſtant uſe of this Phraſe in Scripture, the Letter of this Promiſe will extend to the end of the world.
2. But however this be, it is certain that the Reaſon of this Promiſe does extend to all thoſe that ſhould ſucceed the Apoſtles in their Miniſtry, to the end of the world: I will ſuppoſe now (to give our Adverſaries their utmoſt ſcope) that which we have no reaſon to grant, that the Letter of this Promiſe reacheth only to the Apoſtles and their Age, and that our Saviour's meaning was no more but this, that he would ſend down the Holy Ghoſt upon them in miraculous Gifts, to qualify and enable them for the ſpeedy planting and propagating of the Goſpel in the world, and that he would be with them, 'till this Work was done. Now ſuppoſing there were nothing more than this intended in the letter of it, this ought not much to trouble us, ſo long as it is certain, that the Reaſon of it does extend to the Succeſſors of the Apoſtles in all Ages of the world. I do not mean, that the Reaſon of this Promiſe does give us ſufficient Aſſurance, that God will aſſiſt the Teachers and Governors of his Church in all Ages, in the ſame extraordinary manner, as he did the Apoſtles, becauſe there is not the like reaſon and neceſſity for it; but that we have ſufficient Aſſurance from the Reaſon of this Promiſe, that God will not be wanting to us, in ſuch fitting and neceſſary Aſſiſtance, as the ſtate of Religion, and the welfare of it in every Age ſhall require: For can we imagine that God would uſe ſuch extraordinary means to plant a Religion in the world, and take no care of it afterwards? That he who had begun ſo good a Work, ſo great and glorious a Deſign, would let it fall to the ground for want of any thing that was neceſſary to the Support of it?
This is reaſonable in it ſelf; but we are not alſo without good ground for thus extending the general reaſon of particular Promiſes beyond the Letter of them. The Apoſtle hath gone before us in this, for Heb. 13.5, 6. he there extends two particular Promiſes of the Old Teſtament to all Chriſtians, Let your Converſation (ſays he) be without Covetouſneſs, and be content with ſuch things as ye have: For he hath ſaid, I will never leave thee nor forſake thee. And again, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what Man can do unto me. Theſe Promiſes were made to particular Perſons; the firſt of them to Joſhua, and the other to David; but yet the Apoſtle applies them to all Chriſtians, and to good Men in all Ages, becauſe the general Ground and Reaſon of them extended ſo far. He who gave Joſhua and David this encouragement to their Duty, will certainly be as good to us, if we do ours.
And thus I have done with the firſt Controverſie about the Senſe of theſe Words, which concerns the Circumſtance of time mentioned in this Promiſe, always to the end of the World, and have plainly ſhewn, that both the Letter and the Reaſon of this Promiſe does extend further than the Perſons of the Apoſtles, and the continuance of that Age, even to all that ſhould ſucceed them in their Miniſtry to the end of the World. I come now to conſider,
Secondly, The Subſtance of the Promiſe it ſelf, namely, what is meant by our Saviour's being with them. And here our Adverſaries of the Church of Rome would fain perſwade us, that this Promiſe is made to the Church of Rome, and that the meaning of it is, that that Church ſhould always be infallible, and never err in the Faith. But as there is no mention of the Church of Rome in this Promiſe, nor any where elſe in Scripture upon the like Occaſion, whereby we might be directed to underſtand this Promiſe to be made to that Church; ſo to any unprejudiced Perſon the plain and obvious Senſe of this Promiſe can be no other than this, that our Saviour having commiſſionated the Apoſtles to go and preach the Chriſtian Religion in the World, he promiſes to aſſiſt them in this work, and thoſe that ſhould ſucceed them in it, to the end of the World. But how any Man can conſtrue this Promiſe, ſo as to make it ſignifie the perpetual Infallibility of the Roman Church, I cannot for my life deviſe; and yet this is one of the main Texts upon which they build that old and tottering Fabrick of their Infallibility.
Here is a general Promiſe of Aſſiſtance to the Paſtors and Governours of the Church, in all Ages to the end of the World; but that this Aſſiſtance ſhall always be to the degree of Infallibility, (as it was to the Apoſtles) can neither be concluded from the letter of this Promiſe, nor from the Reaſon of it; much leſs can it be from hence concluded, that the Aſſiſtance here promiſed, if it were to the degree of Infallibility, is to be limited and confined to the ſupream Paſtor and Governour of the Roman Church.
That the Aſſiſtance here promiſed ſhall always be to the degree of Infallibility, can by no means be concluded from the Letter of this Promiſe. Indeed there is no Pretence or Colour for it; he muſt have a very peculiar Sagacity, that can find out in theſe words, I am with you always, a promiſe of infallible Aſſiſtance. Is not the Promiſe which God made to Joſhua, and which the Apoſtle to the Hebrews applies to all Chriſtians, and to all Good Men in all Ages, I will never leave thee nor forſake thee, the very ſame in ſenſe with this, I will be with you always? and yet ſurely, no Man did ever imagine, that by virtue of this Promiſe, every Chriſtian, and every good Man is infallible.
But neither can it be inferr'd from the Reaſon of this Promiſe, that this Aſſiſtance ſhall always be to the degree of Infallibility. It was ſo indeed to the Apoſtles; the miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, which were beſtowed upon them for the more ſpeedy and effectual planting and propagating of the Goſpel in the World, were a divine Teſtimony and Confirmation to the Doctrine which they delivered; and having this divine Teſtimony given to them, we are certain that they were ſecured from Error in the delivery of that Doctrine. So that the Apoſtles had no other Infallibility, but what depended upon, and was evidenced by the miraculous Gifts wherewith they were endowed; and therefore without the like Gifts, none can with Reaſon pretend to the like Infallibility. For Infallibility ſignifies an extraordinary Aſſiſtance of God's Spirit, whereby thoſe who are thus aſſiſted are ſecured from Error. This every confident Man may, if he pleaſeth, pretend to; but no Man is to be believed to have it, but he who can give ſuch Evidence of it, as is fit to ſatisfie reaſonable Men, that he hath it. Now the only ſufficient Evidence of ſuch an extraordinary Divine Aſſiſtance is the Power of Miracles. This indeed is the great external Teſtimony of a Teacher come from God, if he do ſuch Works as none can do, except God he with him; and this Evidence the Prophets of old, and our Saviour, and his Apoſtles, always gave of their Infallibility. And if the Pope and general Councils, can give the Teſtimony of ſuch Miracles for their Infallibility, as Moſes, and our Saviour, and his Apoſtles did work, we are ready to acknowledge it. Such a Teſtimony as this would give the World a thouſand times more Satisfaction concerning their Infallibility, than all the ſubtil Arguments of Bellarmine, and all their Writers. But if they cannot, they may diſpute about it to the end of the World; and every Man that hath but the ſame confidence may pretend to it, with as much reaſon as they do.
But to proceed in my Argument, here is a plain Reaſon why this extraordinary Aſſiſtance ſhould be granted to the Apoſtles at firſt; and another Reaſon as plain, why it ſhould not be continued afterwards. It was reaſonable, and in ſome degree neceſſary, that the Apoſtles ſhould be thus aſſiſted at the firſt publicacation of the Goſpel, namely to give ſatisfaction to the World, that they were faithful and true Witneſſes of the Doctrine and Miracles of Chriſt. But ſince this Doctrine and theſe Miracles are recorded to Poſterity, by thoſe very Perſons that were thus aſſiſted, here is as plain a Reaſon, why after the Goſpel was planted and eſtabliſht in the World, this Infallibility ſhould ceaſe. So long as we have an infallible Foundation of Faith, namely, the Divine Revelation conſigned in Writing, and tranſmitted down to us by Teſtimony of undoubted Credit, what need is there now of a fixt and ſtanding Infallibility in the Church? But having handled this Argument more at large elſe-where, I ſhall inſiſt no further upon it here.
I have now done with the three things I propounded to diſcourſe upon, from this Text. You have heard what Authority our Saviour had given him; what Commiſſion he gave to his Diſciples; and what Aſſiſtance he hath promiſed to the Paſtors and Governors of his Church to the end of the World; namely, ſuch an Aſſiſtance as is ſuitable to the exigencies of the Church, in the ſeveral Ages and States of Chriſtianity; which Aſſiſtance was at firſt very extraordinary and miraculous. God was pleaſed to give witneſs to the firſt Teachers and Publiſhers of the Goſpel, with ſigns and wonders and divers Miracles, and Gifts of the holy Ghoſt; and this at firſt was in a very great degree neceſſary, it not being otherwiſe imaginable, how Chriſtianity could have born up againſt all that Force and violent Oppoſition which was raiſed againſt it: But this extraordinary aſſiſtance was but a temporary and tranſient Diſpenſation. God did, as it were, paſs by, in the ſtrong and mighty Wind, in the Earthquake, and in the Fire: but he was in the ſtill Voice, that is, he deſigned to ſettle and continue in that Diſpenſation, in that more calm and ſecret way of Aſſiſtance, which offers leſs Violence to the Nature of Man, but which was intended for the conſtant and permanent Diſpenſation. So that we have no reaſon to think, that God hath now forſaken his Church, though he be not with it in ſo ſenſible and extraordinary a manner.
But then if any particular Church deſire and expect this bleſſed Preſence and Aſſiſtance of God's Holy Spirit, we muſt remember, that there is a Condition to be performed on our parts. For how abſolute ſoever this Promiſe may be, in reſpect of the Church univerſal; it is certainly conditional, to any particular Church, as ſad experience in many Inſtances hath ſhewn. God hath long ſince left the Church of Jeruſalem, where the Goſpel was firſt publiſht; he hath left the Church of Antioch, where the Believers of the Goſpel were firſt call'd Chriſtians; he hath left the famous Churches of Aſia, to that degree of Deſolation, that the Ruins and Places of ſome of them, are hardly at this day certainly known. And this may alſo be the fate of any particular Church, not excepting Rome her ſelf, for all her Pride and Confidence to the contrary. Behold therefore the Goodneſs and Severity of God: towards them that fell Severity; but towards us Goodneſs, if we continue in his Goodneſs: otherwiſe we alſo ſhall be cut off.
This, as I obſerved before, is ſpoken particularly to the Roman Church; the Apoſtle ſuppoſeth that the Church of Rome her ſelf may be guilty of Apoſtacy from the Faith, and cut off by Unbelief, and indeed ſeems to foretel it; which how it conſiſts with their confident Pretence to Infallibility, let them look to it.
And let all particular Churches look to themſelves that they do not forfeit this Promiſe of Divine Aſſiſtance. For Chriſt hath not ſo tyed himſelf to any particular Church, but that if they forſake him, he may leave them, and remove his Candleſtick from them. There have been many ſad Inſtances of this, ſince the firſt planting of Chriſtianity; and we have no ſmall Reaſon to apprehend that it may come to be our own caſe; for certainly we have many of thoſe marks of Ruin among us, which did foretel the Deſtruction of the Jewiſh Church and Nation; horrible Prophaneſs and Contempt of Religion, Diviſion and Animoſities to the higheſt degree, and an univerſal Diſſoluteneſs and Corruption of Manners. And why ſhould we, who do the ſame things, think our ſelves exempted from the ſame Fate? What can we expect, but that God ſhould deal with us, as he did with them, Take away the Kingdom of God from us, and give it to a Nation that will bring forth the fruits of it?
The Condition of this great Promiſe here in the Text, to the Paſtors and Governors of the Chriſtian Church, is the faithful Execution of their Commiſſion; if they do ſincerely endeavour to gain Men to the Belief and Practice of Chriſtianity, Chriſt hath promiſed to be with them. The performance of this Condition doth primarily concern the chief Governours of the Church, and next to them the Miniſters of the Goſpel in general, that they would be diligent and faithful in their reſpective Stations, teaching Men to obſerve all things, whatſoever Chriſt hath commanded. And if we would make this our great Work, to inſtruct our reſpective Charges, in the neceſſary Doctrines of Faith, and the indiſpenſable Duties of a good Life, we ſhould have far leſs trouble with them about other matters. And that we may do this Work effectually, we muſt be ſerious in our Inſtructions, and exemplary in our Lives. Serious in our Inſtructions; this certainly the Apoſtle requires in the higheſt degree, when he chargeth Miniſters, ſo to ſpeak, as the Oracles of God, to which nothing can be more contrary, than to trifle with the Word of God, and to ſpeak of the weightieſt matters in the World, the great and everlaſting Concernments of the Souls of Men, in ſo ſlight and indecent a manner, as is not only beneath the Gravity of the Pulpit, but even of a well regulated Stage. Can any thing be more unſuitable, than to hear a Miniſter of God from this ſolemn place to break Jeſts upon Sin, and to quibble upon the Vices of the Age? This is to ſhoot without a Bullet, and as if we had no mind to do Execution, but only to make Men ſmile at the mention of their Faults; this is ſo nauſeous a Folly, and of ſo pernicious conſequence to Religion, that hardly any thing too ſevere can be ſaid of it.
And then if we would have our Inſtructions effectual, we muſt be exemplary in our Lives. Ariſtotle tells, that the manners of the Speaker have foreign, the moſt ſoveraign power of Perſwaſion. And therefore Cato puts it into the definition of an Orator, that he is, vir bonus, dicendi peritus, a good Man, and an eloquent Speaker. This is true as to all kinds of Perſwaſion; the good Opinion which Men have of the Speaker, gives great weight to his Words, and does ſtrangely diſpoſe the Minds of Men to entertain his Counſels. But the Reputation of Goodneſs is more eſpecially neceſſary and uſeful to thoſe whoſe proper Work it is to perſwade Men to be good; and therefore the Apoſtle, when he had charged Titus to put Men in mind of their Duty, he immediately adds, in all things ſhewing thy ſelf a Patern of good Works. None ſo fit to teach others their Duty, and none ſo likely to gain Men to it, as thoſe who practiſe it themſelves; becauſe hereby we convince Men that we are in earneſt, when they ſee that we perſwade them to nothing, but what we chuſe to do our ſelves. This is the way to ſtop the Mouths of Men, and to confute their Malice, by an exemplary piety and Virtue. So St. Peter tells us, 1 Pet. 2.15. For ſo is the will of God, that by well doing ye put to ſilence the Ignorance of fooliſh Men.