Exposition of John 17

ANd thus far of the object of our Savior's prayer, or the person to whom he presents it to, and that as you have heard, is God the Father.

Proceed we to the parts of it, which have been noted to be two according to the paties whom he prays for. In the first place he prayeth for himself the Head of the Church. And in the second place he prays for the inferior Members of the Church.

First, For himself the Head of the Church, he desireth glorification; Then for the Members of the Church he desireth confirmation: and that for the Apostles and Disciples then about him, the Members of the present Church: or else for those who were after to believe by their word, or to be called by their preaching, the Members of the Church to come: as I have shown you formerly, when I drew up a short Analysis, or resolution of the whole Chapter.

We are at this time to begin with that part of our Savior's prayer which concerns himself; In which you may take notice with me of these three things: the rise of it, the matter of it, and the reasons of it.

[ 1] First. You have here the rise of it, from whence our Savior takes occasion to present it to his Father; The hour is come.

[ 2] Secondly, You have the matter of it, or the thing which he desireth of the Father, and this is that he may be glorified: Father, glorify thy Son.

[ 3] Thirdly, you have the reasons of it, with which he presseth and enforceth this request of his, and they are many and of great importance, as God assisting, you shall see at large hereafter.

At this time I shall fasten on the first Particular, the rise of this Petition of our Savior, from whence he takes occasion to present it to his Father: The hour is come.

The hour is come; What hour is come? the hour in which the Father had decreed and fore-appointed to glorify his Son Christ: that hour was come, and therefore he desires his Father to execute his purpose now, seeing this was his own time.

But you will say, the hour which was now at hand, was the hour of Christ's Passion, in which he was abased and humbled, as you may see he was betrayed almost as soon as he had done this prayer. And how then could this be the hour, in which he was appointed to be glorified of the Father?

To this I answer, that Christ was glorified in some respect, even while he suffered, he triumphed upon the Cross, as the Apostle Paul speaks, Col. 2.15. blotting out the hand-writing that was against us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his Cross; And having spoiled Principalities and Powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it, that is in the same Cross. The word that the Apostle uses there, alludeth to the fashion of the Roman Conquerors, whose manner was to lead their vanquished Captives bound before their Chariots in a glorious way, the people gratulating their heroic acts and Victories with loud and joyful acclamations. Our Savior having spoiled Principalities and Powers, did somewhat Analogical to this, and hence the terms by which those ancient Roman Triumphs were expressed, are attributed to him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he made a show of them openly, that is, he brought them to extreme dishonor, and made them spectacles of ignominy and reproach, and gazing-stocks of shame, to men and Angels: and this he did upon the very Cross. Its true that to a carnal Eye, this was the place of his humiliation; but to an eye of faith, it was the place of his triumphant Exaltation. The world sees nothing but dishonor in the Cross of Christ, but they that are enlightened, see the great work of man's redemption finished there, sin and his kingdom broken there, and the Devil vanquished, and led captive there, to Christ's eternal honor, and their eternal ignominy and confufion. So that even with respect to this, (this time of suffering on the Cross) our Savior Christ might say, The hour is come, Father, glorify thy Son.

Or if you look a little further, to the time of his ascension and entrance into glory, that hour was not far off; and that perhaps our Savior Christ might aim at in my Text. However, this is evident, that that which he desireth here, he prays may be effected, and accomplished in his Fathers time. And this he makes the ground of his Petition, Father, the hour is come, the time which thou hast fore-appointed to glorify me in; And therefore I beseech thee do it now; thou hast a time for this great work of thine, and this is the very time, the very hour, the hour is come. Were it not so, I would not seek it, or desire it of thee, but seeing this is thy season, now Father glorify thy son. So that the Point suggested here, is this.

[Reas. 1] IT hath been the design and purpose, &c. that he might make him some requital for the abasures and indignities which he suffered in the world.

A great part of our Savior's passion (my beloved consisted in the great dishonor that was done to him, and in the scorn, and the derision, and the contemptuous usage which he suffered, even from the vilest, and the worst of men. If you survey it in the Gospel story, and lay it altogether, all the affronts, and jears, and taunts, and uncivil imputations that were put upon him, you will admire that the glorious Son of God should ever stoop so low for our sakes: yet this he did for the accomplishment of that great work, to which he was appointed by the Father: And therefore God in recompense hath set him up again, and raised him to the height of dignity and glory.

And that he did it on this very ground, we learn from the Apostle Paul, Phil. 2.7, 8. and following verses. He made himself (saith the Apostle there) of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a Servant, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself; And what of this? why therefore God hath highly exalted him, exalted him, and exalted him highly, as it is added in the next words, therefore because he was abased.

And hence our Savior useth this as an enforcing argument when he desireth to be glorified by his father, viz. Because he had been formely dishonored, and brought low. For this is clearly intimated in the words, John 17.4, 5. I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do, and now, O Father, glorify me with thyself.

The works of Christ were some of Ministry and service, and abasure in the office of obedience and suffering for the Church; and some of power, and majesty, in the protection and exaltation of the Church; and those were to forego these. He ought to suffer and so enter into glory, Luke 24.26. There was a necesse in it, a necessity of God's decree who had appointed, and designed it to be so, of God's justice which must be satisfied by obedience, before he would be pacified with men, or in the person of their head and advocate advance them to his glory. Of God's word in the prediction of the Prophets, who had fore-shown, and prophesied that it must be so. And hence saith Christ in the fore-cited text, I have finished my work, the work of my humiliation, and therefore now I pray thee glorify me with thyself. Let my exaltation follow. I should not look to be exalted if I had not first been humbled. But seeing I have done the service, let me have the recompense: since I have undergone the one, let me be raised to the other.

It hath been the design, &c. that he himself might be glorified by it. [Reas. 2] His utmost aim is that he may be honored in the honor of his Son.

Brethren, the Lord in all his works (I speak it reverently) is a self-seeker, he seeks himself in everything he doth, and it is very fit he should, because there is no end above himself, nor better then himself. And if we had no higher end (my brethren) then ourselves, we might seek ourselves too. In all his actions, he hath an eye upon his own glory. And so he hath in this which we are speaking of, the exaltation, and advancement of his Son. And therefore with this Argument our Savior urgeth this desire of his, Father glorify thy Son.

Why should I glorify thee (might the father say) what shall I get by it? Thou shalt get honor by it (saith our Savior) and therefore I beseech thee to glorify me upon this account; Father glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. I cannot glorify thee much in this abasure, and contempt; but if thou glorify me once, it shall come back again upon thee by reflection; I will be sure to honor thee again; And therefore I beseech thee do it for thy own sake, and in relation to thy own glory.

Now is it so, my brethren, that it hath been the design, &c. then certainly [Use 1] it is a bold adventurous part for any man to dishonor Jesus Christ, and to cast contempt upon him: Whoever doth it, runs a very great hazard. He doth what lies in him to cross the Lord in that which he is most intent upon, on which his heart is wonderfully set.

Great men cannot endure (you know) to be crossed in their wills, or hindered of their purposes; and how think you, will the great God endure to be affronted, and opposed, and crossed in such a thing as this is? From all Eternity he hath determined with himself to glorify his Son Christ, he hath had it in his heart from everlasting, he hath resolved he shall be honored; and that not by men alone, but by the very Angels too, those eminent and glorious Creatures. It is the Fathers pleasure that it shall be so, as the Apostle tells us, Heb. 1.6. When he bringeth in his first begotten into the world, he saith, and let all the Angels of God worship him. Not serve him, and obey him only, but worship him with divine, and with religious adoration, which is the height and top of honor, with the same honor that belongeth to the Father, as Christ himself expresseth it, John 5.23. And if he must have honor, such transcendent honor from the very Angels, must he not have it from inferior creatures, who are far below Angels? Yes, God's expects it, that at the name (that is) the power and authority of Jesus, every knee should bow, not of things in heaven only, but of things in earth too, that is, not of Angels only but of men. So that you see the father looks for this at our hands, he looks we should do honor to his Son.

He saith as in the Parable, They will reverence my Son. Though they have slighted and abused other messengers that I have sent among them, yet they will surely reverence my Son. It is impossible they should be so unworthy to contemn my own Son. And what then do we think of those who dishonor and contemn him notwithstanding? will the father who hath sent him to this End, that he might be honored, take this well at their hands, to be thus crossed in such a great design of his by wretched men? To see his own begotten Son despised, and scorned, whom he hath done so much to honor? Why, you will say, what need you be so earnest upon this particular? Who doth dishonor Jesus Christ? Who doth despise him, or contemn him? do we not all acknowledge him to be our Lord and Savior, and the like? yes we do all acknowledge him in words, indeed we call him Lord. But many of us buffet him, and spit upon him in the very same breath. There are abundance of us (my beloved) who in name are Christians, who do exceedingly dishonor Jesus Christ, whatever their pretences and protestations be, and I will show you briefly who they are.

[ 1] All unbelievers do dishonor Christ exceedingly in this respect, that they do not close with him; That when he is proposed and offered to them in the Gospel, they do not take him, and receive him on the terms that he is offered, but put him off with a denial. This is a great dishonor to the Lord Christ. It is no less then an implicit scorning and despising of him. As if he were so poor a gift that he were not worth the taking. Ah, my beloved, do but think upon it, that after Christ hath undergone so much as he hath done for our salvation, and after comes a begging to our own doors, beseeching us that we will entertain him, and receive him, and accept of him, and that not for his own advantage or profit that accrues to him, but merely for our own good; That he should stoop so low, even by entreaties to impose himself upon us, and we should be inexorable to him, and basely thrust him quite away from us, and refuse to meddle with him. Oh what a horrible indignity is this to Jesus Christ? What an unspeakable debasing of him? Yet thus all unbelievers use him. All, I mean where Christ is preached. And that may be applied to them which the Evangelist affirmeth of the Jews, John 1.11. He came unto his own, his own friends, his own Kindred, his own acquaintance, his own nation, yea people of his own Country: But though they were his own, they would not own him nor embrace him. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. And so he comes to these men, and that with obsecrations, and entreaties too, and they clap the door against him, and shamefully g • ve him the repulse. They tell him in effect that he may go to those that need him, and look after him, or care for him. For their parts, they will none of him, then which there cannot be a viler, or more ignominions usage in the world.

They that despise and slight the blood of Christ, they dishonor Christ [ 2] himself. His blood you cannot choose but think is dear to him, and the contemptuous usage of it reflects with high disparagement upon him. But you will say who de pises Christ's blood? are any so unworthy and so base among us? yes there are some such among us who use the blood of Christ as if they did account it an unholy thing, as if it were but common blood, the blood of any ordinary creature which they might freely undervalue at their pleasure; And so in doing this, they tread underfoot the son of God, as the Apostle speaks, Heb. 10.29. they throw him down, and tread him underfoot, as if he were but dust, or dung, or some such base unworthy thing, which is the horriblest contempt that can be. They tread underfoot the Son of God, while they account his blood an unholy thing.

But who accounts it so you will demand? Why they that use it so, do in effect account it so, and truly there are multitudes of such among us. When ordinary blood is shed, as the blood of any beasts, you know, we make no reckoning of it, we look not after it, we spend not any thought upon it, it is shed and there's an end. And verily my brethren, there are many who make no more of the blood of Christ himself, then if it were but common blood, then if an Ox, or any other beast were slain, and so account it an unholy thing. They never think upon it, unless it be to swear by it, they never meditate upon the end for which he shed it, or the use which they ought to make of it. He shed his blood for us (saith the Apostle) that we should live no longer to ourselves but to him that died for us. And yet how many are there who live wholly to themselves notwithstanding all this, who seek themselves, their own ends, their own things, and not the things of Jesus Christ?

He loved his Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it, Eph. 5.25. that he might wash it in his own blood. Apoc. 1.5. And yet what multitudes are here among us, who are not cleansed, or washed to this day, but tumble in the Kennel still, wherein the swine of this world wallow? and so they make the Son of God, as much as in them lies, to suffer and to die in vain, they spill his precious blood upon the ground, as if it were of no value: Christ shed his blood to this end that his people might be holy, and they will be impure still, and wallow in their lusts still. They care not what become of it, let it be shed in vain for them, they reckon not. Oh what a high contempt is this to Jesus Christ! These men as the Apostle speaks, tread underfoot the Son of God, they trample on him in Disdain; and put him to the greatest shame that can be.

They that despise and slight the spirit of Christ, dishonor Christ himself; [ 3] the Comforter the holy Spirit is the messenger of Christ, he is instead of Christ to his people, he represents him absent to the soul. And therefore he is said in Scripture to be with them, in that his holy Spirit is with them. Behold I am with you always, viz. by my Spirit to the end of the world, Mat. 28. ult. I will not leave you comfortless saith Christ to his Disciple, I will come to you, John 14.18. he meaneth not by himself, but by his Spirit. So that when the Spirit comes, Christ comes; and therefore it is added presently, At that time you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. So that if this sweet Messenger of Jesus Christ, who is to us instead of Christ, be ill-entreated by us, it is apparently a very great indignity to Christ himself. And yet how often do we damp the holy motions of this Spirit in our hearts? When good desires and gracious purposes are raised and kindled there, how often do we smother them and put them out again? how frequently do we misuse him, who comes with counsel, and with comfort, and with grace, from such a choice and precious friend as Christ is? How do we slight the seasonable caveats that the spirit gives us, either for our information, or else for our consolation, and what is this upon the matter, but to despise and slight Christ?

[ 4] They that despise and slight the Messengers and the Ambassadors of Christ, they dishonor Christ himself. He is in this respect at the same hand that Princes are, the wrongs and the indignities that are done to those they send, they take as offered to themselves; and truly so doth Jesus Christ. His Ministers, the Preachers, and Dispensers of his Gospel, are his Ambassadors to men, they are instead of Christ, as the Apostle Paul's expression is, 2 Cor. 5.20. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ, we pray you in Christ's stead; and they that injure or dishonor those that are for Christ, and that are in Christ's stead, must needs dishonor Christ himself. Our Savior is express and plain for this to his Apostles, Luke 10.16. He that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. q. d. My Father sent me, and therefore he that despiseth, me despiseth him. And I send you, and therefore he that despiseth you, despiseth me: I shall say little of this Argument, for fear of misconstruction, I shall but leave it to yourselves to judge whether Christ be in this respect despised and dishonored, yea, or no. Whether he be abused in those whom he hath sent, whose labors he hath blessed, and to whom he hath given the seals of their Ministry, I hope they will not much complain to any, but to Christ that sent them, and if he be resolved to bear it, I make no question he will give them grace and strength to bear it too, and to profit much by it.

[ 5] They that fall away from Christ after some acquaintance with him, they dishonor and disgrace him. For in deserting him, they seem to tell the world that there is nothing in him why we should desire him. They have tried him, and they find him by experience to be such a one as is not worth the keeping any longer. And therefore the Apostle, speaking of Apostates, saith that they put Christ to open shame, for that is his expression, Heb. 6.9. if they fall away, saith he, they crucify the Son of God afresh, and put him to open shame. A servant looks upon it as a shame and a disparagement if he be put away: So if a Servant leave his Master (if the reason be not known) it is some disgrace to him. Men are very apt to think that he is a hard Master, that he is faulty in some kind or other, and that he deals not well with those that serve him. And so when men forsake the service of the Lord Christ, they make the world believe that he is an ill Master, that there is better wages, and more content and satisfaction to be had in the service of sin then the service of Christ; And is not this a great dishonor to him? And yet how many are there in these latter times, who bring disparagement to Jesus Christ by this means, and make his service despicable in the eyes of others? How many have withdrawn from Jesus Christ of late, given over waiting on his holy Ordinances, and left performing of those duties to him which they were wont exactly, and constantly, and duly to discharge. They talk of Christian Liberty, and this they take to be from the service of Christ, whereas it is indeed from the service of sin: And so they are more loose, and careless, and remiss, and negligent then they have been in former times. These men disgrace Christ, whom God hath set himself to honor, and so they cross him in his great design.

Now, I beseech you, think upon it, you that dishonor Christ, in any of the ways forementioned, or in any other way, let it be what it will: Remember that it is the purpose and design of God to glorify his Son Christ; and what then will become of you, who thwart with him, who seek as much as lies in you to hinder him from execution of that which he is so intent upon? Will he take it at your hands? Nay, if he send his Son among you, and say, as in the Parable, Luke 20.13. They will reverence my Son, and you upon the other side, neglect him and contemn him, and abase him every way, he will be out of patience with you, to be thus crossed by wretched men; he will certainly destroy you, he will make you know the price of slighting and despising him, whose honor is as dear and tender to him as his own.

Is it so, that it hath been the design, &c? Then be we all exhorted to [Use 2] comply with God, in this great design of his, and to promote it to the utmost of our power. Let us endeavor every way to help him in that which he is so intent upon, the glorifying of his Son Christ. Its true, God needs not any of our help, he can do his own work, and bring his own design and purposes to pass without us; he can glorify his Son, whether we poor simple Creatures will or no: but yet in any case wherein we may be instrumental to him, wherein we may be useful any way to further that which he intendeth, he expects that we should come to the help of the Lord, as the expression is, though in another case, Judge. 5.23. and therefore let us seriously consider what our duty is, and let us set up Jesus Christ, and glorify him to the utmost of our power.

And here I shall propound two things, which I shall orderly pursue; First, let us advance his glory, when it is without our own: and Secondly, let us advance his glory, when it is against our own.

Let us set up his glory when it is without our own, when we have no [ 1] glory by it, when we have no glory with it. There be many in the World, that seem to glorify the Lord Christ, when his glory and their own concur, and come together in a Line: When Christ, and they may be set up together, when they advance and raise themselves in raising and advancing him, they are very well content. As this was Jehues case, you know, his interest and God's did meet, in rooting out the Line of Ahab, so that he seemed to be zealous for the Lord of Hosts, when he was zealous only for himself, and for the greatness and the glory of his own house. But when the glory of the Lord comes single, and alone, and naked to them, so that they have nothing to quicken and encourage them to such a work, to such a duty, but his honor only; as for their own part, they are like to get disparagement among the greater part of men, and to be disgraced by it, they will not stir, they will do nothing in such a case as this is. A Magistrate it may be will be very earnest in taking course with those exorbitancies and abuses which dishonor Christ, as long as he himself may attain to honor by it, and be applauded everywhere for his integrity, and zeal, and courage, and uprightness. But when he meets with scoffs and taunts on every side, when he comes to be affronted and disgraced, and blasted for his forwardness, and to be looked upon as a pragmatical, and busy man, he thinks it better to give over and be quiet. A Minister, it may be, will be painful in his Calling, very diligent in Preaching in season and out of season, while he may be commended and admired; but when he misses his expected honor and applause, he is like a becalmed Ship at Sea, and stirs no longer then the breath of people drives him. And so a private person, it may be, will be very holy and precise, very constant, and very diligent in duty, very exact in waiting on the Ordinances, and the like, as long as those things gain him reputation and esteem with those to whom he would approve himself. But when they come once to be looked upon as matter of disparagement, and when he is disgraced for them, he hath done with these courses.

These men do glorify themselves, and not Christ, at least they glorify him with relation to themselves, and make his glory but a means to the attainment of their own; so that their utmost end is really their own glory; so that however it may seem, they do not truly join with God in the accomplishment of this design of his, touching the glorifying of his Son Christ. Now, I beseech you, my Beloved, let us not be like these men, let us advance the Son of God single, let us set up his glory when it is without our own.

[ 2] Nay, to go further yet, let us set up his glory where it is against our own, which is the second thing proposed; when we are no gainers by it, but rather losers in our own honor. And thus the Saints of God have done, as I shall give you divers instances out of the Scripture, because the thing is difficult, and will need the more enforcing. John the Baptist was much cried up among the people, as if he had been the Messias: Many men, if they had been in his place, would have nourished these conceits, and taken to themselves those foolish attributions: But he is so far from this, that he endeavors every way to put them off from him, There comes one after me, who is mightier then I, the latchet of whose shoo I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose, Mar. 1.8, 9. I indeed have baptized you with water, but he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost. q.d. You question whether I be Christ or no, and thus you magnify me, and applaud me, and attribute that to me which indeed belongs to Christ. But I must tell you plainly, I am not the Christ (as in another place he doth) I am nobody to him, I am not worthy to untie his shoes, to do the meanest Office that belongs to him: And for the Ministry, my Art is outward, and not to be compared with his, I indeed baptize, &c. And in another place he shows the very same temper, John 3.30 He must increase, but I must decrease. q.d. It must be so, and I am very well content, so he increase, and so his glory grow, I care not though I wane and wither in my honor, and in the reputation and esteem which I have among the people.

So the Apostles, when the people ascribed the Miracle which they had done to them, how did they shake away this honor from them? Acts 3.12. Ye men of Israel, why look you so earnestly on us, as if by our own power or holiness, we had made this man whole: no, God hath done it to glorify his Son Christ, in prosecution of this great design, as it is added there in that place.

And when was Paul in such a heat, as when the people took Barnabas and him for gods, and would have offered sacrifice unto them? Act. 14.13. When they heard what was done, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? you think us to be God's, but we are men of like passions with yourselves, and preach unto you that you should turn from these vanities, unto the living God. You see they labor to advance the Lord, by taking off those high conceits which the people had of them.

Now I beseech you my beloved, let the same mind be in us that was in these men. Let us not regard a jot what becomes of our honor, so the design of our God go forward touching the glorifying of his Son. And let us say as Jacob in another place, So Christ be glorified, we have enough. You that are in any office, do not consider with yourselves how you may carry matters, so that you may be commended and approved, for moderate, and meek, and quiet men; but how you may extirpate sin, which dishonors Jesus Christ, and root out evil doers from the City of the Lord: and if you be abused for this, if loose contentious people tax you, and run out upon you; if Drunkards in their Ale make Songs upon you, do you despise the shame as Christ did, so you may bring him any glory?

So we that are the Ministers of Christ, let this be our endeavor to advance and set up Christ; let us study such a way, and follow such a course as will glorify him most, though it redound not to our own honor. Let us not make this our aim, how we may carry matters, so that we may be admired and magnified, that we may be accounted eloquent and learned, and the like; but that the people may be edified, and that they may be won to Jesus Christ: That way of preaching, be it what it will, which serveth best to these ends, let us endeavor after, yea and though it should be prejudicial to our own glory, though it should eclipse us. What saith the Apostle Paul, 2 Cor. 4.5. I preach not myself, but the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not my intention to set up myself, that I may be looked upon, that my abilities may be applauded and admired; no, I regard not though I be concealed, though I be hid among the crowd, so as Jesus Christ appear, so as the affections and thoughts of men be set on him, so he be represented to the people in his glory: I preach not myself, but the Lord Jesus Christ, and myself your servant for Jesus his sake. And so for private Christians, let us seriously consider what the Lord expects from us, and how intent he is on this business, and let us strive to serve him, and be instrumental to him in this great design of his. Let us make this our work and business, how we may glorify the Lord Christ, become what will of our esteem and reputation in the world. And this, because it is a hard lesson, I shall excite you to the learning and the practicing of it, with a few motives.

[ 1] Consider wherefore you were made and placed in the world; what, to set up yourselves, and to advance your own honor? No, but to glorify the Lord Christ; this was the end of your Creation; All things were created by him, and for him, saith the Apostle, Col. 1.16. As they were created by him, so they were created for him. Now a thing may be made either for the need and conveniency, or else for the honor and glory of him for whom it is made. As great men in their houses, have been always wont to have some things for use, and others for pomp. Now Jesus Christ made nothing in the world for need; he needs not us for anything that we can do; for he was absolutely full and perfect, and complete, before we had a being in the world; or had it not been so, undoubtedly he would have made us sooner, he would not have remained so long without us. So then he made us for his glory, that was the end he aimed at in our Creation: And therefore it concerneth us to see that we answer this end, and that we glorify the Lord Christ: Or if we do not so; first, our sin is very great, we sin against the great, the utmost end of our Creation: And secondly, our danger is very great, and we are in extremist peril of destruction. Any thing that is unuseful, or unserviceable to the end that it was made, is fit for nothing else but ruin. We make a fire to warm us, and to dress our meat, but if it fall a burning of the house, we put it out if we be able: A hatchet or a knife is made to cut, but when it comes to have no edge at all, so that it will not do the business that it serveth for, we throw it by into a corner, and provide another. A Potter makes a vessel to keep liquid things, but if it have a crack, or hole in it, so that it will not serve for that purpose, he even dashes it in pieces. So Jesus Christ hath made us for himself, his own glory; but if we be unserviceable to this end, and if he find we do not glorify him, but dishonor him, and shame him, he will break us with a rod of iron, and dash us in pieces like a Potters vessel. We will not serve his turn, nor the end for which he made us, and therefore he will cast us away; for what shall he do with us? If any of us have an instrument that is very useful to us, we will be very chary of it, and very careful that we do not lose it; but if it be of no use, we reckon it of no value, yea many times we break it, or we burn it in a passion, and there is an end of it. So Jesus Christ will deal with us my Brethren; if we be serviceable to the end for which he made us, he will keep us, and preserve us: But if we be unuseful to him, or if we do not glorify him, he will ruin and destroy us.

[ 2] Consider Christ will make you recompense for any honor that you bring to him, you shall have it back again, and that with profit and advantage. If you honor Jesus Christ, he will do as much for you, he will honor you again; it is his Promise, and he will be faithful in it, 1 Sam. 2.30. Them that honor me, I will honor. Men are exceedingly, and almost universally deceived in this particular: they think the ready way to honor, is to set up themselves, and to brisle their plumes, to strut and swell, and swagger in the world; to take all ways that they can think upon, to make themselves seem great and honorable in the eyes of others; but in the mean time they neglect Christ, they take no course at all to advance his glory. Alas, these men are quite out, if they would have true honor, their business and their work must be to set up Christ, and then he will be sure to set up them again. If we take care to honor him, he will take care to honor us; if we do the one of them, we need not doubt to trust him with the other. So that you see my Brethren, if we would be honored and esteemed, we have no more to do but only this, to glorify the Lord Christ, to magnify him, and to make him great, and then he is engaged to take care of our esteem and credit in the world. But on the other side if we dishonor and despise him, let us do what we can to raise ourselves, and get ourselves a name, it shall be all to no purpose, when all is done he will cast ignominy and contempt upon us, as he tells us in the fore-alleged Text, They that honor me, I will honor; and they that despise me, shall be lightly set by.

Consider with yourselves how you will gratify (if I might express it [ 3] so) or rather please the Father, in glorifying of his Son Christ. It is a thing that fathers take delight and pleasure in, to see their sons advanced to honor; and truly so doth God the Father in reference to Jesus Christ. He loves to see him set up, and to see him made glorious, and that not only as he is his Son, in whom his very soul delighteth, but as it hath been his decree and purpose from eternity to have him glorified. You hear it hath been the design of God to glorify his Son Christ, and a design on which his heart is set; and so the promoting of it by your means, must needs be very pleasing to him: you may be sure that he will vote it to be acceptable service. And even as they that hinder and oppose this great business are opposites to God: so they that further and promote it, close with him, and carry on his business, and he will take it very kindly at their hands, to have a thing which he is so intent upon brought to pass by their means. These things may stir us up, my Brethren, to comply with God in this great Design of his, touching the glorifying of his Son Christ.

SO we have done with the two first particulars considered in our Savior's Prayer, so far as it concerns himself, the rise of it from whence he takes occasion to present it to his Father, together with the matter of it, or the thing which he desireth of the Father, That he may be glorified.

And we are now arrived at the third and last, the Reasons with which he presseth, and enforceth this request of his, and they are many, and of great importance. The first is taken from the end, why he desireth to be glorified, or to have glory from the Father, viz. that he might be enabled to bring glory to the Father; Father glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee. The second Argument is drawn à congruo, from the congruity; it was but meet and congruous that he should be glorified, or that he should have glory from the Father, seeing he had power from him. He had received power from him, and therefore it was fit that he should have glory too; for power and glory ought to go together: And therefore on this ground our Savior urgeth it, you see; Father glorify thy Son, as thou hast given him power over all flesh.

As thou hast given him power, so be prevailed withal to give him glory too, the concomitant of power. The third is drawn from the deserving Cause: Christ had glorified the Father, and therefore thinks himself worthy to have glory from the Father; I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do: And now, O Father, glorify me with thyself, and so on.

At this time, I shall pitch on the first Argument, with which our Savior presseth this request of his, and it is taken from the end, why he desireth to have glory from the Father, viz. That he may be enabled to bring glory to the Father, Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.

Me thinks he seems to intimate he could not glorify him much in the condition he was in at present, he was in such a state of ignominy, and abasure, and contempt, in relation to the world, that he was not capable of bringing in the Father any considerable honor, while he remained in this case: And therefore he entreats the Father to raise him, and advance him, that he may do as much for him again, Father glorify thy Son, that thy Son also, &c.

So then as we have formerly observed, that it is the Design of God the Father to glorify his Son; so hence we may observe,

[Use 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.

[ 1] 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 tells 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 shown. 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 tendered 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 join 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 show them, first the sin, and secondly the danger of their disobedience.

[ 1] 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 sinful. It is a sin indeed to violate the Law of works which the Apostle styleth 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 exhibit and propose him to them as the means, the only means of their salvation: and as endeavoring 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 proffered 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 underfoot 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 withal, 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 tendered to us; but you had the eternal Son of God to die 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?

[ 2] 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 judgment 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 Savior, the richest mercies in themselves, that ever were bestowed upon the Creature, should accidentally increase 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.

[ 2] 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 tells 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 Savior Christ himself divides the Law into these two Commandments: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and the neighbor as thyself: 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 calls 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 innocence, 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 styled 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 Christ's; 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 enjoins, 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 ourselves, 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 Christ's Law; or if it be not Christ's Law, it can be no Law at all; The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all Judgment 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 behavior, 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 sanctify God's 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 Savior to his reason, brake all the bonds and cords with which they bound him, so these unreasonable Creatures deal with Christ's 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 humors. 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 labors to lay hold on sin, to bind him, and to chain him up, then sin begins to lay about him, to struggle for his liberty, 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 vicious. 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 ourselves with strong drink, and tomorrow 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. [ 1] He will not easily endure it to be slighted 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.

[ 2] Consider that the Law as it hath a commanding power that requireth us to do, so it hath a threatening 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 everyone that doth not everything 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 threatening? You may decline the duty, but are you able also to avoid the curse? Here Christ commands, & you reply, 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 reply 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 men's 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.

[ 3] 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 hazard 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 saucy 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 Savior 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 testify 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, 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 persuaded 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 sum, 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 ways 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 anything but good; under Christ we are free to do anything 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 Savior 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?

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 showeth what is good, and what is evil in itself, 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 steadfast, as the Apostle Paul speaks, Heb. 2.2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the word that was spoken by Angels, that is, the Moral Law that was delivered by their Ministry, is steadfast. Indeed this Law, the Law of nature, was written in the heart of Adam in the state of innocence, and Christ intendeth not to blot out anything 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, Adam was exactly righteous, and yet it was a Law to him even in the state of innocence itself.

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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Lex non est lata, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 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 judgment, 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 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; nailing 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 suit 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 Jesus Christ, under [Use 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 showeth 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 governors 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 yourselves 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 yourselves to every ordinance of man; and therefore I shall clear 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 & [ 1] 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 Christ's 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 profane 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 ourselves 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 [ 2] 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 Lord's peculiar, none h • th authority on that but he only. And therefore Christ condemns it in the Scribes and Pharisees, 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 Judgment 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 human 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 Lord's 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 [Use 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.

[Use 5] IS it so that all mankind is under the authority of Jesus Christ? Then let them not avenge themselves in any case, but let them have recourse to Jesus Christ for right, when any wrong or injury is done to them. Whoever doth it, he is under the authority of Jesus Christ, he is within the verge & compass of his Jurisdiction; his Father hath invested him with a power over all flesh: so that let the wrong doer be of what condition, or estate, or place he will, let the wrong be what it will, it falls within his cognizance, and he can right it, if he please, and he will right it in his own time. Indeed, if there were none to seek unto when we are injured and abused, if there were none to do us justice, there were some color then, why we should avenge ourselves. If there were none but the servants in a Family, (if such a thing might be supposed) and there were no Common Master over all, it could not be avoided, but they would brawl among themselves; For everyone in such a case would look to be his own Judge, there being none superior to him and his fellow to decide the quarrel. But when they have a Master to complain to, who hath power to take an order with any of them that offend, it were a great indignity to him and his authority for any of them to correct their fellow-servants. (Beloved) we have all one Master, we are all under the power and the authority of Jesus Christ; and therefore if our fellow-servants wrong us, let us not undertake to right ourselves, but let us patiently commit our cause to him that judgeth righteously. I say (as the Apostle Romans, 12.19.) Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves. Take heed that you be neither overcome of evil in your passions, Romans 12. ult. nor render evil for it in your actions, 1 Thes. 5.15. There are not many sins to which we are so mightily inclined, as we are to this, nor which we are so hardly able to resist. And truly I am much afraid, that in the prosecution of the great affairs of this time, there is in many too much of the private grudge, and self-revenge, who make the public cause a cover for their own malice. Now, I beseech you, (my beloved) let us not study to avenge ourselves on any man, but let us lay aside all self-respects. If we have been abused and wronged by any, let us forgive them, and forbear them, (as the Apostle Paul exhorts) Col. 3.13. Forgiving one another, and forbearing one another, if any man have a quarrel against any. There is much in that Text: forgiving one another in regard of inward malice, and forbearing one another in regard of outward revenge. And that not only in conceited and imaginary, but in true and real wrongs: For so the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 rendered quarrel or complaint imports: Not a quarrel picked or raised upon no ground at all, but justa conquerendi causa, (as Zanchius reads it) a just occasion of complaint. So that when we are injured, so as the abuse is evident and clear, it is our duty to forgive and to forbear: And that whoever offer the abuse to us, let him be what he will, if any man have a quarrel against any, of what condition or degree soever, none exempted, yet we must forgive still, and we must forbear still.

And this because it hath a world of difficulties in it, I shall set on with a few Considerations.

Consider you entrench on Jesus Christ, in self-revenge, invade his proper [ 1] and peculiar right, you do that which belongs to him, which is a very high presumption. And this the Psalmist intimates in his petition: Psal. 94 1. O God to whom vengeance belongeth, O God to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself: he speaks it there exclusively, vengeance belongs to him, and none but him: To none but him originally, primitively, though he make over power to execute it, to his Deputies and Vicegerents: who though they cannot do it of themselves, and by their own authority, yet they may do it as the Ministers of Christ, (as the Apostle Paul intimates, speaking of the Magistrate) Rom. 13.4. He is the Minister of God, (saith he) and an avenger. A Minister of God, and by that means, by virtue of his deputation a revenger, to execute wrath on him that doth evil. So that when our abuses are unsufferable, and when they wound the name, or the estate so deep that they are not to be born, if we go to the Magistrate to right us, and avenge us, we go to Jesus Christ in him, because he hath appointed him, and set him up for that purpose. But if we avenge ourselves, we wrest the sword out of the hands of Jesus Christ, and do as much as in us lies, to dis-invest him of that power which God hath given him over all flesh. And with this argument it is that the Apostle Paul dissuades them from self-revenge in the fore-alleged Scripture, Rom. 12.19. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, and why so? because in so doing, you enter on the right of Christ; for it is written, vengeance is mine, it is not yours, no, it is mine, and I will repay it, either by myself, or by my ordinance.

By self-revenge, as you invade the right of Christ, so you stay and hinder [ 2] Christ from taking vengeance for you on your enemies. You give not place to his wrath, (as the Apostle Paul expresseth it in the forecited Scripture, Rom. 12.19.) He would avenge you, and you would not suffer him, but you will do it with your own hands. He offers to step in and right you, and you will not give him the place; no, you justle him aside by a revengeful righting of yourselves. And therefore it is just with him to leave you to yourselves in this business: and truly this among the rest, may be the cause why many men lie under such unsufferable wrongs; why they are so abused and oppressed without any remedy; why Christ forbeareth to avenge them, because they will not give him way; they will get into the seat, they will be meddling with his office and authority, and therefore he stands by and looks on. As therefore we desire that he that hath authority to right us, should put to his own hand, let us acquit our hearts and hands (as much as it is possible) of self-revenge. I say to everyone of you, as Solomon, Prov. 20.22. Say not I will render evil, I will revenge; but wait on Christ, and he will save you.

[ 3] And thirdly, as by self-revenge you give no place to Christ, so you give place to the Devil; you deny the place to Christ, and you let the Devil have it. And therefore the Apostle Paul having dissuaded us from wrath which tendeth to revenge, Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath, adds this immediately in the succeeding words, neither give place to the Devil, Eph. 4.27. And is not this a fearful thing to justle Jesus Christ aside, that we may let the Devil in? to make room for such a guest as Satan is, and that by putting Jesus Christ by? For it is Satan (my beloved) that makes such work in men's hearts, and stirs them up to such unwarrantable practices as these are.

[ 4] Lastly, By taking vengeance on our Brethren, we do exceedingly provoke Christ to take vengeance upon us. We take vengeance upon others, and all that we gain is this, we cause the Lord to take vengeance on ourselves: we do not only hinder him from executing wrath for us, but we provoke him to execute his wrath upon us. Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah, (saith the Lord) by taking vengeance, what follows? I will take vengeance upon Edom, Ezech. 25.12. If Christ come in and find his family together by the ears, he will be in a rage too, and he will take an order with them altogether. Manasseh against Ephraim, and Ephraim against Manasseh, and they together against Judah. And what is the event of these contentions? why the Lord is against them all. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still: Isa. 9.21. He deals with us, (my Brethren) as we deal with others: with the froward (saith the Psalmist) thou wilt show thyself froward, Psal. 18.25. If we be unjustly froward to our Brethren, he will be justly froward toward us: If we lay on upon our brethren, he will lay on upon us.

Let these considerations keep us from revenge: And because it is a very hard thing to forbear, especially when opportunities are put into our hands; For if a man find his Enemy at an advantage, will he let him go free? 1 Sam. 24.20. I shall give you two directons which will be very helpful to you, to cause you to abstain from self-revenge: First, you must put away those carnal Lusts: and in the next place you must put away those carnal reasons, which incline you to revenge.

[ 1] You must put away those carnal lusts, which incline you to revenge: you must subdue and mortify them to the utmost of your power; These are the true real causes of it, they are within, and not without you. Whereas there is strife among you, (saith the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians) are you not carnal? 1 Cor. 3.3. Is it not very manifest that there is much corruption, much flesh in you? It may be you may think it to be otherwise; but mark what the Apostle saith, Jam. 4.1. From whence come wars and fightings among you? whence is it, that it is but a word and a blow? an injury and a revenge? whence is it? why hence it is, will some men say; I am so troubled and molested, I am so wronged and abused, that I cannot suffer it: No, no, (saith the Apostle) thou art very much deceived; it is thy pride, self-love, envy, passion, that are the true and real causes why thou canst not hold thy hands: from whence come wars and fightings among you? even from your lusts; If there were no wars within, there would be no wars without. If these corruptions and unruly lusts within were thoroughly mortified and subdued, these outward provocations would never cause such hot contentions as they do.

You must put away those carnal reasonings that incline you and provoke [ 2] you to revenge: For these, if you will give them entertainment, will set your hearts on fire of hell. And therefore you must do as Abraham did, when there was like to be some difference between him and his Nephew Lot: Its probable he was assaulted with such thoughts as these; What wilt thou yield and stoop to him? it is his duty to submit to thee; shall Lot thy Nephew have his choice of all the Land, and thou his aged Uncle be content to take the boys leavings? But Abraham hearkens not to such suggestions. So Moses, when he was contemned, vilified, and set at naught, no doubt he had his passions in him, though he were a meek man, and they were apt enough to work, and stir, and secretly to egg him on to this or the like purpose, What, wilt thou suffer such a gross abuse? shall they go smooth away with such a bold affront, and base indignity, as this is? No, let them know that they have mis-behaved themselves towards their betters: But Moses patiently allays and stils such thoughts as these, and meekly puts up all without distemper. I might exemplify in David, when he was abused by Shimei, who was his Subject, and that in such a base, unworthy, and unsufferable way: no doubt he had his inward risings, and he had one at hand that was an end to take revenge for him: and yet he calms all, we hear no more but this, Let him curse, &c.

So when our thoughts begin to work apace in any injury or provocation that is offered to us, and to tell us strange things, let us smother and suppress them: let us consider that, and think on that which may provoke to love, and not to malice and revenge.

Is it so, that all mankind is under the authority, &c. Then surely we [Use 6] have all great reason to comply with him, and to endeavor what we can to please him to the utmost of our power. You know it is the fashion of the world, to do what they are able to keep in with those who are in place, and under whose authority and power they are: How will they bend, and stoop, and yield, and bring themselves to anything almost to please such men! beloved, we are all under the power of Jesus Christ, under his Legislative power, and under his judiciary power: He gives us Law now, & he will pass sentence on us according to his Law hereafter, if we be disobedient and rebellious; and therefore we have reason to keep in with him, to kiss the Son, to do him homage, lest he be angry, and we perish. We labor, (saith the Apostle) that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. And why so? For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, as it is added in the next words, 2 Corinth. 5.10.

The time is coming when he is to sit upon us, and to judge us, and to dispose of us forever, either in heaven, or in hell; and therefore it concerns us infinitely to please him in the mean time, that he may be propitious to us when that time comes. We pity such a malefactor, who being shortly to be tried before an earthly Judge, upon a point of life or death, doth rather take a course to anger and provoke him, then appease him; and yet so desperately foolish are a multitude of men, who strive not to approve themselves to Christ, nor to be accepted of him, before whose judgment-seat they must appear to be acquitted or condemned: And so according to his doom, to live or die, and that forever.

Oh but think upon that last and dreadful day, remember at whose mercy you must stand, and so endeavor to demean yourselves, that whether you be present in the body, or whether you be absent from the body, that both in life, and death, and judgment, you may be accepted of him.

[Use 7] Is it so that all mankind is under the Judiciary power of Christ? that he hath power to pass the sentence, and to execute the sentence on them? this serveth then for matchless terror to the wicked, and for incomparable comfort to the godly; a word or two to each of these, &c.

[ 1] How can the thought of this but strike amazement and astonishment to the hearts of wicked men! What mercy can they look for at his hands whom have they pierced through, whose grace they despised, whose Law and Gospel they have disobeyed, whose Spirit they have grieved, and despighted, whose blood they have trodd upon? Oh what a fearful thing it is that they should be in the power of Jesus Christ, that he and none but he should judge them. Did John fall down at the presence of an angel? did Felix tremble before Paul, when he did but discourse of Judgment? Did the Officers and Soldiers of the Jews fall backwards at the voice of Christ? and that while he was in a state, and condition of abasure? What will ungodly wretches do, when he shall come in Majesty and glory, to pass sentence on them? when he shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels, &c. what can they look for in that day, but eternal condemnation?

[ 2] And how can this but infinitely cheer the Saints to think, that they are in the power of Jesus Christ, who is their Brother, their Mediator, their Redeemer; that he who shed his blood for them, and none but he, shall judge them too! How will they lift up their heads to see him coming with the clouds to judge the world? Oh how will they be ravished to behold their Savior whom they have loved so dearly all their lives, but never had the happiness to see till now, for whose appearance they have longed, thirsted, prayed, waited, &c. How will they melt upon him, think you, when they see him? This is he that died for me, that shed his blood for me, they would look through him if they could: and how can they expect but that he that died for them, should absolve them, and acquit them? Assuredly my brethren, he that hath power over all flesh, will never hate and destroy his own flesh, nor condemn his own members. No it is well for them that this power is in Christ's hands: for now they may be confident that he will save them, that he will give eternal life to them. And thus far of the first particular considered in the words, the thing itself with which our Savior is invested and endued, and this you see, is power over all flesh.

The second follows now in order to be handled, The means by which he comes to be invested with it, viz by free donation from his Father. He hath this power, because his Father gave it him; As thou hast given him power over all flesh 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as thou hast given. He saith not, As thy Son hath taken power over all flesh, as he hath entered on it, and assumed it to himself; But as thou hast invested and endued him with it. By which he shows apparently, that he comes to it by his fathers act, and by his Fathers gift, and not by his own intrusion, as thou hast given him power over all flesh.

So that hence I might observe,

That Jesus Christ did not intrude himself on the authority with which he is invested over all flesh, but was admitted to it freely by his Father.

He did not take this honor to himself, as the expression is, though in another case, Heb. 5.4. but it was put upon him. See Psal. 2.6. Note 3. But this I do but point at in my passage by.

Proceed we to the third and last Particular considered in the words, viz. the end for which he is invested with this vast authority. That he may give eternal life to as many as God hath given him.

So that you see, (my Brethren) here is giving upon all hands: The Father gives the Son, that the Son may give to others: The Father gives to him power, that he may give to others life.

First, Let us look upon this end in general, before we take it into parts. And here let us consider, whether this be the only end for which the Father gives the Son power; whether he have no other aim in putting this authority upon him over all flesh; but only that he may bestow eternal life upon his own people; what need he have so large authority for this end? Authority over all flesh, that he may give eternal life to some flesh, to the least part of flesh, to as many as God hath given him, who are comparatively but a small number. What use hath this authority in reference to other flesh, to whom he doth not give eternal life, if this be all the end of it?

For clearing of this, (my Brethren) you must know that this is not the only end, but it is the chief end; for it is very manifest in Scripture, that the authority of Jesus Christ, as it extends to all flesh, so it is exercised one way or another upon all flesh. It is bestowed upon him by his Father, as well that he may give eternal death to some, as eternal life to others. And so accordingly he executes this power, and this authority of his, as well in passing sentence of condemnation upon unbelievers, as of salvation upon believers. In judging some (and that the most of men) to death, as well as other some to life. The Father (saith our Savior) hath committed all judgment to the Son: judgment as well of condemnation, as of absolution. So that the giving of eternal life to as many as God hath given him, is not the only end of the authority of Jesus Christ: but it is the main end, the prime end, the chief end. This end is principally in the eye of God, and Christ; the other end is not considerable in regard of this. And therefore that is not so much as hinted at, you see; but this is clearly and expressly mentioned. As who should say, This was the end indeed, for which his Father gave him power over all flesh; this was the thing he chiefly aimed at, that he might give eternal life to as many as God had given him.

So that the Point to be observed, is this.

[Use 2] IS it so, that the authority of Jesus Christ, with which, &c. chiefly for the good, &c. Then let the Ministers of Jesus Christ be hence directed, and advised how to use the power, which they have received from Christ. As God hath sent the Son, so Jesus Christ hath sent his Ministers and his Ambassadors. It is his own expression to his own Apostles, John 20.21. As my Father hath sent me, so I send you. And as God hath given power to Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, so Jesus Christ hath given power to his Ambassadors whom he hath sent. And therefore it is added presently in the fore-alleged Scripture, whosesoever sins ye remit, they be remitted, and whosesoever sins, ye retain, they are retained. You must conceive it either in the preaching of the word, or else in the administration of the censures of the Church. And this is that which the Apostle calls the power which Christ hath given him, 2 Cor. 13.10.

Now all that have this power from Jesus Christ, are here directed how to manage it, and what use to make of it. It is apparent they must use it to the very same end, to which Christ doth use his; For even as Christ hath his Commission from the Father, so they have their commission from Christ. And even as Christ hath his authority from the Father, so they have their authority from Christ. And therefore even as the authority of Christ is managed chiefly for the good, and the salvation of his people, so must they manage theirs too for the very same end; they must not aim at the destruction, or the hardening of the people, they must not preach the Gospel to them for such purposes as these; though this by accident, be the effect sometimes. No, they must make this their business, how they may save themselves, and them that hear them, how they may bring about the conversion and salvation of the people, how they may draw in souls to Jesus Christ, and make proselytes for heaven; this ought to be the great thing which they aim at. It is true, they must be sons of thunder now and then, as well as sons of consolation: They must preach the Law sometimes, as well as the sweet comforts of the Gospel: They must threaten men sometimes with wrath, and hell, and eternal condemnation: But then they must do it so as wishing that these things might might not come upon them, but rather that they might avoid them: They must threaten them with wrath, that they may fly from the wrath to come: and they must threaten them with hell, that they may escape the damnation of hell: They must preach the Law to them with Gospel-purposes and Evangelical intentions: They must send out the avenger of blood to dog them at the heels, that they may fly to the city of refuge: They must use sharpness, now and then; it cannot be avoided: But it must be for the same end which the Apostle speaks of in the fore-alleged place, 2 Cor. 13.10. where he mindeth the Corinthians, that in case he must use sharpness according to the power the Lord hath given him, he hath authority from Christ to do it; but mark in the succeeding words to what end, to edification, and not to destruction: According to the power the Lord hath given me to edification, and not to destruction.

And therefore it is very notable, that when our Savior Christ had said to his Disciples, All power is given to me both in heaven and in earth, and having put a part of this autho • ity and power of his on his Apostles, he doth not bid them to go out and preach damnation to the people, but go and preach the Gospel to them, and baptize them that they way be saved: And the Apostle speaking of the execution of this power in the administration of the censures of the Church, saith, he would give a foul offender up to Satan, for no other end then this, even for his good and his salvation, 1 Cor. 5.3, 4. I have already judged (saith he) concerning him that hath so done this deed, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver him to Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, (the carnal part) that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord.

So that when we threaten judgment, when we retain the sins of men, when we give them up to Satan, either in preaching, or in Church-censures, when we say of any person, Take him Satan, our aim must be that Christ may have him, that his corruption may be mortified, and that he may be saved by this means. And therefore let the Ministers of Jesus Christ have this continually in their eye, how they may reach this great end. Let all his under-officers in the administration of the power which Christ hath put upon them drive at that, for which Christ received his, that they may bring his people to eternal life, as you have it in my Text.

Is it so that the authority of Jesus Christ with which, &c. is chiefly [Use 3] for the good, &c. Then let us apprehend it to be so, and let us look upon it so, when he is executing this authority and this judiciary power of his upon the enemies of his people, even to their utter ruin and destruction. When he destroys his Churches enemies, when he consumes them that they may not be, (as this he doth sometimes by virtue of this power which God hath put into his hands, and we have seen it in these latter days) let us consider that he doth not this so much for their hurt, as for the good of his people. That his aim is not so much at the destruction of the one, as at the preservation of the other. When he is laying on upon them with his keen and glittering sword, let this be our meditation, Now Christ is doing something for his poor people.

And this the Saints of old have done; And therefore David, or whoever else it be, that is the author of Psal. 136. recording many judgments of the Lord's which he had brought upon the Churches enemies, makes this the running verse between continually, For his mercy endureth forever. He smote all the first born of Egypt, For his mercy endureth forever. He overturned Pharaoh and his Host in the red Sea, For, &c. He smote great Kings and slew famous Kings, as Sihon King of the Amorites and Og, &c. For his mercy endureth forever. A man would think he should have rather said, he did such things as these, because his anger and his wrath endures forever. What mercy was it for the Lord to slay Kings and to destroy Nations? truly it was none to them that were destroyed, but it was sweet and precious mercy to them for whom they were destroyed. And Christ would have it known that in the execution of his vengeance on the wicked, he hath not an aspect so much upon the misery he brings the wicked to; no, his thoughts are taken up with the mercy and the love he manifests to his people; And when he lays about him, and slashes down the enemies in heaps, he seemeth to forget the hatred that he bears to them, and to think of nothing else but mercy, mercy to his Saints, Thus I kill them and destroy them, because my mercy, &c. And therefore let us learn to look upon it so, to have such thoughts and apprehensions upon such occasions.

And that the rather, because there is an inconveniency in it many times, when we behold Christ in another way. We look upon the Judgments which he wreaks and executes upon the Enemies and persecutors of the Church, as if he brought them on them out of such a hatred to them, as we ourselves are apt to have. And so our hearts are carried out in ways of malice, and we make Christ upon the matter, but the instrument of our revenge. Whereas if we did apprehend him as aiming not so much at the destruction and ruin of the wicked, as at the good and preservation of his people, and as administrations of his power which he sees necessary for the peace, and welfare of the Saints, our hearts would be in a more sweet and holy temper, then they are sometimes in such cases. For then my brethren, we should see the Love of Christ in all these dispensations of his wrath: the more his anger is declared at any time against the wicked, the more we should be taken up with thoughts and apprehensions of his love to us. The greater fury and displeasure he reveals against them, the more we should be led to contemplation of his mercy to ourselves. Oh, what are we that he should have such dear respects to us? That he should be so angry with poor creatures, and execute such heavy judgments on them for our sakes.

[Use 4] Is it so that the authority, &c. is chiefly for the Good, &c. This then methinks, should prevail with wicked men, yea though they perish, to have better thoughts of Christ, and milder apprehensions then they have. For you must know, my brethren, that Christ hath many Enemies; there are abundance in the world that hate him whose very hearts do rise against him. And whence is this, but because they look upon him as one that aims at their destruction, as one that means to have their blood, to ruin them, and damn them in the pit of hell forever. Now I beseech you, my beloved, do not so mistake yourselves; think not so hardly of the Lord Christ. Believe it, Jesus Christ hath other purposes then these, whatever you conceive of him; he came not to judge the world, but that the world by him might be saved. He came not to destroy you, but to save his own people. And therefore if you be destroyed, thank yourselves, and not him. Your help if you have any, is of him; but your destruction is of yourselves.

Do but consider, I beseech you, what Christ hath done, what means he hath afforded you for your salvation. He hath assumed your nature who are reprobates, as well as yours who are elect. He hath laid down a price of worth sufficient in itself for your salvation, so that there is not one of you excluded from it, because it will not reach to you as well as others, because it is too narrow and too scant to satisfy for all, if all should apprehend it, and lay hold upon it. No, he hath ordered matters so, that there is enough put in, not for believers only, but for them that perish too. And that which is put in, as it is sufficient for you, so it is applicable to you as well as others. As it was paid in your nature, so any of your nature may partake it, if they will lay hold upon it. It is a satisfaction which nothing but your unbelief and your refusal can make you uncapable of. And hence the Lord will have a tender of it to be made, the Gospel to be preached to you as well as others; so runs the tenor of his own Commission, Go, preach the Gospel to every creature; Tell every man without exception, that there is good news for him, that Christ is dead for him if he embrace him. Yea Christ himself doth by his Messengers persuade, you, yea entreat you, and beseech you to accept him. Yea, more then so, he works upon you by some kind of operation of his Spirit, and you resist the Holy Ghost. He waits upon you many days, yea many years, even till his head be full of dew, and his locks wet with the drops of the night, he exercizeth much longsuffering to you, he is patient, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. All this he doth; and doth this look as if it were his aim to damn you, as if he sought your ruin and destruction? It's true indeed you are by accident in the worse case for Christ; you will have one day cause to wish (if you continue in your unbelief) that Christ had never been Incarnate, that you had never heard of him. But I beseech you, whose fault is all this? is it Christ's, or is it yours? you had been damned if Christ had never come; and when he came, he came to you as well as others. And he came not to destroy you, he came not to condemn the world (alas that was not his intention) but that the world by him might be saved. And therefore I beseech you, do not thinks amiss of Christ in this business. If he should condemn you, yet do not you condemn him, as if your condemnation were the thing he looked for. If you will perish, think not the worse of Jesus Christ, but justify him, and applaud his mercy when you are sinking into hell. Give testimony to the truth, and say, he hath done much to save me, but he hath done nothing to damn me. He came into the world to save sinners; that was indeed the end of his coming; but I, by my rebellion, and my obstinacy, and my unbelief, have made him do that which he came not for, even to destroy me. It was not Jesus Christ; no, it was my own perverseness and incredulity, that hath undone me, and everlastingly, and brought me to this place of torment.

[Use 5] Is it so, that the authority, &c. is chiefly for the good, &c. Then certainly they shall be saved, they may rely and rest upon it as an unquestionable thing. Christ hath received his power and his authority for this end, his Father hath bestowed it on him for this end, that he may give eternal life to as many as God hath given him; and certainly they will not both be disappointed of their main intention; They will not be crossed in that which is their great design. Its true, the carrying on, and the accomplishment of the work of our salvation is a very hard business, it meets with many difficulties, and with many oppositions. But Christ you see is absolutely and completely furnished to go through with it, and to save us to the utmost. If he were only vested with authority and power over the flesh which he intends to save, it would fall short in this business: For there is other flesh that would resist, and hinder their salvation. There is flesh within them, and there is flesh without them, that would oppose this great work. The people of the Lord Christ have all of them much flesh, and much corruption in them. And there is much flesh without them, a multitude of wicked and ungodly men. And both of these, this flesh within them, and this flesh without them, are mighty obstacles, and great impediments to the great end propounded in my text, the giving of eternal life to them. The flesh without them, I mean the world and worldly men will seek to terrify them, or allure them, or persuade them from the ways of God, and will deceive, if it were possible, the very Elect. The flesh within them will close with that which is without on all occasions, and labor to withdraw them from the living God. So that, as I have said, if Christ were only vested with authority and power over the flesh which he intends to save, it would fall short in this business. But God you see hath given him power over all •• esh, that he may give eternal life to as many as he hath given him. Not only power over the flesh to which he means to give eternal life, but power over all flesh, that he may give eternal life to them. That other flesh may not resist and hinder him in this business. And therefore let us cheer and comfort up our hearts in sweet assurance of salvation, as many of us as belong to Christ. We are discouraged now and then perhaps when we perceive how strong the flesh within us is, how mighty and how violent, and how prevailing our corruptions are. We are afraid the wicked world, the flesh without us, will overcome us in the end; either by honors and preferments, or else by threats and persecutions, and so will hazard our salvation. But here's our never failing comfort, Christ hath power over all flesh, that he may give us eternal life. He hath power over the flesh within us, he can subdue and master our corruptions when he pleases, he can pluck down those strong holds. He hath power over the flesh without us, he can overcome the world, yea he hath overcome the world. And therefore let us be of good cheer, let us be confident we shall have eternal life at last; for God hath given him full power to this end, and to this purpose, that he may give it, and that none may hinder it.

Is it so, that the authority of Jesus Christ with, &c. is chiefly, &c. [Use 6] Oh, how much are we bound to God and Christ? to God the Father, that he hath given? to God the Son, that he hath taken this authority for this End? That both of them have been so careful, that the authority of Christ might be sufficient to go through with the business, and all this for our sakes. Oh, what are we that God and Christ should have such dear respect unto us, that they should honor us so far, that our salvation should be the end of the authority of Jesus Christ! It is but fit that we should be for him; that all that we are, or have, should be for Christ. But that all that Jesus Christ as Man and Mediator hath, should be for us; that all his power and his authority over the world should be for us; that we and our eternal happiness should be the end, as it is made in this place; and Jesus Christ, and his authority in this respect should be but a means to this end; this is a mercy and an honor, which we cannot reach to see the bottom of it any way. And that we should have the preferment here, that the authority which Christ hath over all flesh, should not be for them but us, that he may give to us eternal life, who are a little remnant of worthless inconsiderable men; That Christ should have so great authority for such a little petty company, this is mercy with a witness: Let us sit down and wonder at it, and be thankful for it while we have a day to live.

And thus far of the end of the authority of Jesus Christ; for which he is invested with it by his Father, considered in the lump and in the gross.

Proceed we now to take it into parts. It is in general, as you have heard, that he may be enabled to dispence to his people, that which is for their everlasting welfare and salvation, that he may give eternal life to as many as God hath given him: Particularly we have here to be considered, First the thing itself to be dispensed by virtue of this power and this authority of Jesus Christ, and that is life, yea life eternal. Secondly the manner or the way of dispensation, it is to be dispensed as a gift, in the nature of a gift, in a way of free donation, that he should give eternal life. Thirdly the objects of this dispensation, or the persons to whom this life here mentioned is to be dispensed, and that is not to all men, but to as many as the Father hath bestowed on Jesus Christ; As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

Begin we with the thing itself to be dispensed, by virtue of this power, and this authority of Jesus Christ: And here let us take notice of the nature of it, and of the adjunct of it. First of the nature of it, it is life: Then of the adjunct of it, it is life eternal.

As for the first of these, my Brethren, you must know that naturally, and originally we are all dead men. We are all dead born, we came into the world, my Brethren, in a state of death and condemnation. And in this sad condition we continue of ourselves, we are not able to put life into ourselves. No, we can no more raise ourselves to the life of grace, then a dead man can raise himself to the life of nature. And therefore God, because he would have such a number quickened as he hath resolved upon, hath given power to Jesus Christ to this end, and to this purpose, that he may give life to those who of themselves are utterly void of it, and no way able to attain it.

And that his mercy may be full, he hath appointed him to give them such a life as is uncapable of dissolution. The life that Adam in the state of innocence enjoyed, the life of righteousness; and the life of holiness, you know, was perishable in itself, and so accordingly was left of God. His state in this condition was mutable, and accordingly he fell from it, from a state of grace and life, to a state of sin and death. But now God hath invested Jesus Christ with power to give his people such a life as shall be durable, as shall, in this respect, transcend the life that Adam had, even in the state of innocence itself; that he may give eternal life to as many as God hath given him.

The points to be observed are two: First, They that are Christ's have life from Christ; and secondly, The life which they have from him is eternal.