Christ All and in All, Sermon 1
COL. 3. laſt part of ver. 11.I. SERM. at Mary Wolnoth. Lon. May 18. 1651.
—Chriſt is all, and in all.
THe Apoſtle in the two former Chapters perſwadeth theſe Coloſſians to conſtancy in the Faith of the Goſpel, in which they had been inſtructed againſt the practice of thoſe falſe apoſtles who laboured to draw them away to judaical ceremonies He doth in this Chapter, as his manner is, give them ſundry Exhortations to holineſſe of life.
And firſt he ſtirs them up to the more diligent ſtudy of heavenly things, by many Arguments, verſe 1, 2, 3, 4. If ye be riſen with Christ, ſeek thoſe things that are above.
Secondly, he perſwades them to mortifie their earthly members, thoſe vitious motions and affections of corrupt nature, which were ſtill too ſtrong in them: he doth not only urge this in general, but inſtances in many particulars, all which are preſſed by ſeveral Arguments, verſe 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Amongſt other Arguments this is one, They have put off the old man, and put on the new man, ver. 9, 10. This new man he deſcribes three wayes. Firſt, it is the renuing of the holineſſe of our nature, which we loſt in Adam. Secondly, it conſiſts in the knowledge of the myſtery of the Goſpel. Thirdly, the example or Archetype according to which this new man is faſhioned, is the image of God our Creator. This Argument the Apoſtle follows, verſe 11. he ſets it on two wayes.
1. By removing the falſe opinion of ſome, who neglecting this new man, did confide in their external priviledges, and contemned all ſuch as wanted them; this in the former part of the verſe, where there is neither Greek, nor Jew, &c. that is, in this new man it matters not what Nation a perſon be of, whether he be Jew or Gentile; nor doth it matter what outward prerogatives a perſon have, whether he be circumciſed, or uncircumciſed; nor doth it matter what his outward ſtate be, whether he be bond or free, &c. none of all theſe differences are looked at or conſidered. No man is more accepted of God for the having of any of theſe things, nor is any leſs eſteemed of him for the want of them, There is neither Jew, nor Greek, &c.
2. By oppoſing the true opinion; But Chriſt is all, and in all. Q…d. All thoſe external things which are accounted ſo honourable without this new man, do not availe to ſalvation, nor will the want of all theſe hinder a perſon of ſalvation, and acceptance with God, if the great work of regeneration be wrought, for Chriſt is all, and in all. We have ſuch another expreſſion, Gal. 3. 27, 28. Ye are all the children of God, &c. for as many of you as have been baptized, &c. there is neither Jew, nor Greek; bond, nor free; male, nor female: for ye are all one in Chriſt Jeſus.
The words are a Propoſition. In which we have,
1. The Subject, Chriſt; But Chriſt.
2. The Predicate, He is all, and in all. He is all things that are neceſſary to ſalvation, and that in all perſons, who do beleeve in him, who are renued and regenerated by his grace. I intend to go over all the compariſons by which Jeſus Chriſt is ſet out in Scripture. And I have begun with this as a Preface or introduction to the reſt. I ſhall handle it generally, and draw from it this obſervation, viz.
Doct. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt is all things in and to all perſons that have a true ſaving intereſt in him; Chriſt is all and in all. It doth not exclude the Father and Holy Ghoſt but all other things, as circumciſion, uncircumciſion, &c. A like phraſe. Act. 4. 12. Chriſt is all and in all to every beleever. Here are two rules to be obſerved. 1. We are not to underſtand this (as excluding the other perſons of the Trinity,) for the whole God-head is all in alto beleevers as well as Jeſus Chriſt. But becauſe Jeſus Chriſt the ſecond perſon of the Trinity is the head of the myſtical body, by vertue of which union true beleevers are made one myſtical body with Chriſt, Eph. 1. ult. therefore is this principally appropriated to him, to be all in all to thoſe that are united to him by ſaving faith. 2. The truth of this propoſition is not from the humane nature, but from the divine: it is from the power of the divine nature in Chriſt, that he is all in all to his people; becauſe the fulneſſe of the God-head dwells bodily in the humane nature as a part of the perſon. Now he is all in all to them in theſe five reſpects, viz.
1. By way of merit. Jeſus Chriſt is meritoriouſly all in all to beleevers. Whatſoever they are, whatſoever they have, whatſoever they do, or can expect, is only upon the ſcore and account of his purchaſe and merit. They enjoy no good thing upon any other termes, but only upon the conſideration of Chriſts merits. Becauſe he hath done and ſuffered for them, and in their ſtead, therefore do they partake of thoſe bleſſings which make them happy to all eternity. The Patriarchs in the Old Teſtament, Chriſtians in the New, have pleaded with God for all bleſſings only upon the account of Chriſt. Dan. 9. 17. cauſe thy face to ſhine upon thy Sanctuary, that is deſolate, for the Lords ſake. Of this the Apoſtle ſpeaks, when he ſaith, that Chriſt is made unto us of God wiſdom, righteouſneſſe, ſanctification and redemption, 1 Cor. 1. 30. Chriſt doth beſtow upon us, and God is pleaſed to accept for us the merit of Chriſts Paſſion, death, obedience, and righteouſneſſe.—
2. Chriſt is all in all to them by way of conveyance. As he hath merited all for them: ſo 'tis from him and through him that all good things are communicated to them, John 14. 6. As we have all propter Chriſtum, ſo we receive all we have, per Chriſtum through Chriſt. He is not only the fountaine, but the Medium and conduit through whom all a beleever hath is conveyed to him. Jeſus Chriſt is a beleevers root, Joh. 15. 5. Now as all the ſap which is in the branches is communicated through the root, ſo all the good which a beleever hath is derived through Chriſt. God hath put all that good he intends to beſtow upon his Elect into Chriſts hands as a Feoffee in truſt, and from him as the great Lord-ſteward is all communicated unto them. Of this the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Col. 2. 19. From Christ the head, the whole body by joynts and bands having nouriſhment miniſtred and …nit together, increaſeth with the increaſe of God. Jeſus Chriſt is as it were, the hand of God, through which all good things are ſent in to us; He is the door, John 10. 7.
3. Chriſt is all in all to them, by way of efficiency and cauſality. He it is that works all in all in his Saints, 1 Cor. 12. 6. There are diverſities of operations, but it is the ſame God which worketh all in all. This our Saviour bears witneſſe unto, John 15. 5. when he tells us, that without him we can do nothing. The ſoul is the principle of all action in man, Jeſus Chriſt is the principle of all motion and ſpiritual action in his Saints, for he is the ſoul of their ſoule. Not a good deſire, not a good thought but what is inſpired by Jeſus Chriſt. The Apoſtle doth freely acknowledge this, Gal. 2. 20. I live, yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me, &c. ſo Phil. 2. 12, 13. Work out your own ſalvation, &c. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleaſure.
4. Chriſt is all in all to them virtually; he is inſtead of all things to them. Solomon ſaith that money anſwereth all things, Ecoleſ. 10. 19. it is meat, drink, cloaths, houſe, lands, &c. all things that are vendible may be procured by money. Jeſus Chriſt is virtually all things, he makes up all things that are wanting. Hence it is that he is in Scripture compared to all things, to food, to cloathing, to phyſick, to gold, to health, &c. becauſe he ſtands for all theſe things unto the ſoules of his Saints. Hence is that promiſe, Rev. 21. 7. He that overcometh ſhall inherit all things. Jeſus Chriſt is for all uſes and purpoſes. This is in the text; he is Circumciſion to the Gentile, wiſdome to the Barbarian, &c.
5. Christ is all in all to them by way of benediction, and ſanctification. It is from him that any good they enjoy becomes a bleſſing to them. He makes every thing effectual for thoſe ends for which they are appointed. No good thing would be good to us without the benediction of Chriſt; yea were it not for his bleſſing, every good thing would prove a ſnare, a croſſe and a curſe to us, as they do to them, who have no intereſt in Chriſt. This is that which Solomon ſaith, Prov. 10. 22. The bleſſing of the Lord, it maketh rich. Thy health would be thy greateſt ſickneſſe, thy wealth would be thy ruine, thy parts and abilities would be a ſnare to thee, did not Jeſus Chriſt ſanctifie them by his bleſſing. All the good the Saints enjoy depends upon Chriſts bleſſings to make them good to them.
The Application follows.
Uſe 1. How injurious to Jeſus Chriſt are they who mingle other things with Jeſus Chriſt as the cauſes of their ſalvation. The Papiſts mingle their own merits, and righteouſneſſe, indulgences, the ſufferings of other men, with the merits of Chriſt, as the cauſes of their juſtification and ſalvation. What elſe i… this but to deny the al-ſufficiency of Jeſus Chriſt? If he be all in all for juſtification and ſalvation, he needs not have his merits eked out with ſuch kinde of helps as theſe are. If Chriſt be all in all, then theſe are ſuperfluous, yea, the addition of theſe doth derogate from, and deſtroy the fulneſſe and al-ſufficiency of Chriſt. Yea Chriſt who is all in all to beleevers, will be nothing at all to them who are not contented with him alone. Chriſt is become of none effect to you, whoſoever of you are juſtified by the law, ye are fallen from grace, Gal. 5. 4. Conſider this you that are ſelf juſtitiaries.
Uſe 2. If Chriſt be all in all, then is nothing any thing at all without Jeſus Christ. All the world, the riches, pleaſures, honours of the world is but emptineſſe without Chriſt. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, Eccleſ. 1. 2. that man hath juſt nothing, that hath not Chriſt who is all things; the world is but nigrum nihil. Thy wiſdome, thy parts, thy children, thy offices, thy preferments, thy lands and revenews, all thou haſt, if thou want him that is all things, can amount to nothing. They are but cyphers without a figure. O that men would conſider this!
Uſe 3. What rich inheritance have all thoſe who are truly intereſted in Jeſus Chriſt! Chriſtus meus & omnia. They poſſeſſe him that is all in all, and in poſſeſſing him they poſſeſſe all. I have all things my brother, ſaith Jacob to Eſau, Gen. 33. 11. he that hath him that is all in all, cannot want any thing. All things are yours, (ſaith the Apoſtle) whether things preſent, or things to come, and you are Chriſts, 1 Cor. 3. 22. A true beleever, let him be never ſo poore outwardly, is in truth the richeſt man in all the world; he hath all in all, and what can be added to all?
Uſe 4. It ſhews the reaſon why the Saints are ſo fearful of loſing Jeſus Chriſt. They value all things at a low rate in compariſon of him. They would rather loſe all then Chriſt, they are contented to part with liberty, eſtate, life, rather then with Chriſt. Is there not cauſe for it? Chriſt is better then all things elſe. Riches are ſomething, liberty is ſomething, life is ſomething, but Chriſt is all in all. There is nothing beſides Jeſus Chriſt that is good for all uſes. Garments are good to cover, but not for food; meat is good to feed, but not to warme, &c. but Jeſus Chriſt is good for every uſe, for all perſons, for all times, for all ſexes, for all conditions. They know if they loſe Chriſt, they loſe all things. If a man had all his eſtate in one jewel, you would not blame him to be very careful of keeping that. Jeſus Chriſt is their all, they ſeek him when they are deprived of him, with greateſt care; they keep him when they have him, with the greateſt diligence, Cant. 3. ult. I ſought him, I found him, and would not let him go; do not wonder at it! for he is their all in all.
Uſe 5. That no ſoul eſteemes Chriſt aright, that doth not eſteem him all in all. To eſteem any thing equal to Chriſt, is to diſeſteem Chriſt. Thou doſt never truly account him any thing, till thou do account him all things, yea, better then all things, and all things as nothing in reſpect of him. If thou canſt not make up all things in Chriſt, thou makeſt him but a poore Chriſt. If thou canſt not make him a friend in the want of a friend; an habitation in the want of an habitation; if thou canſt not make him riches in poverty; if there be any condition in which Chriſt will not ſuffice thee; if Chriſt be too little to ſatisfie thee, thou doſt but undervalue him; he is never truly accounted any thing, till he be accounted all things.
Uſe 6. Learn hence, The miſery of thoſe that want Chriſt. He that wants Chriſt, wants all things. Lord, what wilt thou give me, ſeeing I go childleſſe, ſaith Abraham, Gen. 15. 2. he had much, and yet becauſe he wanted a childe, he wanted every thing. The ſoul that wants Jeſus Chriſt hath indeed nothing. The Apoſtles poſſeſſed all things when they had nothing, 2 Cor. 6 10. having Chriſt they poſſeſſed all things. Thoſe that want a ſaving intereſt in Chriſt, poſſeſſe nothing, though they ſeeme to have all things; all they have is emptineſſe; yea, all they have is a curſe, becauſe they have not Chriſt. O that God would convince men of this truth!
Uſe 7. Its their duty to carry their ſelves towards Chriſt, as thoſe that account him all in all. How is that?
1. Love him and prize him above all. Thy love is better then wine, Cant. 1. 2. Above wife, huſband, children, life. Chriſt is not loved at all, till he be loved above all, Matthew 10 37.
2. Be contented with Jeſus Chriſt in the want of all other things. Make up all thy wants, all thy loſſes in him. Encourage thy ſelf in Chriſt, when thou art diſcouraged in all other things. Rejoyce in him, when all things faile, vid. Hab. 3. v. 17, 18.
3. Make him thy end in all. Let him be all in all to thee finally. Refer all to Jeſus Chriſt as the ultimate end of all, hear, pray, meditate, do, ſuffer for the glory of Chriſt. The Apoſtle referd all to Chriſt as the ſupreme end of all, that Chriſt may be magnified, &c. Phil. 1. 20. if Chriſt be not the Alpha and the Omega, the firſt motive, and the laſt end of all, thou doeſt greatly undervalue him.
4. Be ſure thou go to Chriſt for all thou wanteſt. If comfort, if zeale, if pardon, if ſtrength, &c. he hath it for thee, and it is for his diſhonour that thou ſhouldeſt go any other way, 2 King. 1. 3.
5. Do all in Chriſts name and ſtrength, Eph. 5. 20. Col. 3. 17.
Uſe 8. How careful ſhould men be to prove their intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt? 2 Cor. 13. 3. you want all, if you have not an intereſt in him. Signes of this. 1. Have you his Spirit? Rom. 8. 9. the effects of the ſpirit. 2. Are ye like Chriſt? 2 Cor. 5. 17. 3. Are ye willing to be Chriſts?
Uſe 9. Let the preſence of Chriſt in others be all in all to thee. Though thou be poor; yet if Chriſt be in them, though unlearned, &c. if thy children have Chriſt, though they want parts, beauty, &c. yet eſteeme them.