SERMON XXXVI
That they all may be one; as thou,
Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the
world may believe that thou hast sent, me.—john
XVII. 21.
secondly, I am now to handle the second branch, the pattern of this unity,
'As then, Father, art in me, and I in thee.' It is elsewhere compared three
times in this chapter: ver, 11, \~ina\~ \~wsin\~ \~en\~, \~kaywv\~ \~hmeiv\~, 'that they
may be one, as we are;' ver. 22, \~kaywv\~ \~hmeiv\~ \~en\~ \~esmen\~, 'that
they may be one as we are one;' and here, \~kaywv\~
\~su\~ \~pater\~ \~en\~ \~emoi\~, \~kwgw\~ \~en\~ \~soi\~, 'as thon, Father, art in me, and I in thee.' They
are not only one, but in one another. It is that which divines call \~pericwrhsiv\~, the intimate
inhabitation or indwelling of the persons in one another, without any confusion
of the several subsistences. Such is the unity of the
divine essence, that the Father dwelleth in the Son,
the Son subsisteth in the Father, and the Holy Spirit
in both, without any confusion of the personalities. Now this is propounded as
the pattern and original exemplar of the mystical union. The Arjans conclude, out of this place, that there is not a
unity of essence among the divine persons, but only a unity of love and
concord, such [Pg. 33] as is between ns and Christ, and among believers one
with another; \~omoiousia\~, not \~omoousia\~. As doth not imply an exact equality,
but only a similitude or answerable likeness. In the mystical union there is a
kind of shadow and adumbration of that unity which is between the persons of
the Godhead. So when man is said to be made after the similitude and likeness
of God, it doth not imply a universal and exact equality, but only some
conformity and similitude of men to God. So, 'Be ye holy, as I am holy;' 'Be ye
perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect' It is good to note that in the
letter of the text Christ separateth his own unity
with the Father from that of the creatures. He doth not say,' Let us be all
one;' but,' Let them be all one.' Again, he doth not say,' As thou art in us,
and we in thee;' but, 'As thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee.' Hic suam potentiam, et Patris a nobis secerneret. Again, in the next clause, he doth not say,
One with us,' but 'in us.' There is no common union wherein he and we agree.
The note is
Doct. That, the
mystical union carrieth some resemblance with the
union that is between the Father and the Son.
Here I shall show—(1.) The unity between
God and Christ; (2.) Wherein the resemblance standeth.
First, The unity between God and
Christ There is a twofold union between God and Christ God is in him, and one
with him, as the second person of the Trinity, and one in him as mediator.
1. As he is
the second person of the Trinity, there is a unity of essence, intimated by
this \~pericwrhsiv\~, or mutual inhabitation.
Christ is not the Father, but in the Father; to confound the persons is Sabellianism; to divide the natures is Arianism.
He doth not only say, 'The Father is in him,' but,' He is in the Father.' to
note a consubstantial unity, that they both communicate in the same essence. At
once he showeth the distinction that is between the
Father and the Son, and the unity of essence that is between them. And as they
are one in essence, so one in power: John x. 28-30, 'I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my
hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than all, and no man is able to
pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.' They work by the
same power. They are one in will and operation, their actions are undivided;
what the Father doeth, the Son doeth, though by an operation proper to each
person: John v. 19, 'What things soever the Father
doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.' They are one in love; the Son lay in
the bosom of the Father: John i. 18, 'No man hath
seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the
Father, he hath declared him.' It is a phrase that expresseth
intimacy. There is a mutual complacency and delight in one another. They are
equal in dignity and power, and must not be severed in worship: John v. 23,
'That all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father: he that hononreth
not the Son, honoureth not the Father which hath sent
him.' Thus God and Christ are one, as Christ is the second person. This is the
great mystery, three and one, and one and three. Men and angels were made for
this spectacle; we cannot comprehend it, and therefore must admire it 0 luminosissimea tenebrea! Light,
[Pg. 34] darkness! God dwelleth in both; in light, to
show the excellency of his nature; and in darkness,
to show the weakness of our apprehension. The Son is begotten by the Father,
yet is in the Father, and the Father in him; the Spirit proceedeth
from them both, and yet is in both; all in each, and each m all. They were the
more three because one, and the more one because three. Were there nothing to
draw us to desire to be dissolved but this, it were enough: John xiv. 20, 'At
that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.' It
is no small part of our portion in heaven. For the present, how much cause have
we to bless God for the revelation of this mystery! Let us adore it with a
humble faith, rather than search into it by the bold inquiries of reason. It is
enough for us to know that it is so, though we know not how it is. God were not
infinitely great if he were not greater than our understanding.
2. Christ and God are one as
mediator. There is a personal union of the two natures. The Father may be said
to be in him, because the divine nature is in him; he is Emmanuel. In Christ
there are two natures, but one person. His blood could not be the blood of God
if the human nature were not united to the second person of the Trinity. It is
so united that the human nature is the instrument. As the hand is man's
instrument, not separated from the communion of the body, as a pen or knife; it
is man's instrument, but yet a part of himself; so is Christ's human nature
joined to his divine nature, and made use of as the great instrument in the
work of redemption. So that the human nature is a temple 'in which the fulness
of the Godhead dwelleth bodily,' Col. ii. 9. Now
because of that union, the natures are in one another, and dwell in one
another, as the soul dwelleth in the body, and the
body is acted and enlivened by the soul. Hence the flesh of Christ is called
the flesh of God, and the blood of Christ is called the blood of God: Acts xx.
28,' Feed the
Secondly,
The resemblance between the mystical union and the unity of the persons in the
divine nature The Spirit is indissolubile trinitatis vtnculum, as one
saith, the eternal bond of the Trinity. So among believers, it is the Holy
Ghost who joineth us to Christ. Christ, as one with
the Father, liveth the same life that the Father
doth; so do we, as one with Christ: John vi. 57, 'As the living Father hath
sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth
me, even he shall live by me.' It is a close union, beyond conception, but yet
real; ours is also close, hard to be understood: John xiv. 20, 'At that day ye
shall know that I am in the Father, and yon in me, and I in you.' There is the
highest love wherewith the Father and the Son love one another. Believers have
a room in Christ's [Pg. 35] heart, as Christ in the Father's bosom; they love
Christ again, that loved them first. The union is everlasting, for in the divine
nature there can be no change; Christ's mystical body cannot lose a joint. It
is a holy union; be one as we are one, holy as we are holy; so must ours be
with one another. An agreement in evil is like that of Herod and Pilate, who
shook hands against Christ In the divine persons there is order and
distinction; the unity of the Trinity doth not confound the order of the
persons; they are one, and still three, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit,
from whom, in whom, and to whom are all things; they keep their distinct
personalities, and distinct personal operations. The unity of the church doth
not confound the order of it; there are diversity of gifts and ministrations,
but one body. The persons of the Godhead mutually seek the glory of one
another; the election of the Father maketh way for
the redemption of the Son; and the redemption of the Son for the application of
the Holy Spirit, and so upward: John xvi. 14, 'He snail glorify me, for he
shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you;' and John xiv. 13, 'And
whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be
glorified in the Son;' Phil. ii. 9, 'Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and
given him a name above every name.' So in the spiritual union, Christ puts honour on the church, and the church honours
Christ; they throw their crowns at the Lamb's feet, and the members are careful
of one another: 1 Cor. xii. 25, 'That there be no schism in the body, but that the
members should have the same care one of another.' To endear us one to another,
Christ did not only leave us the relation of brethren, but of fellow-members;
we are not only in the same family, but in the same body. Brothers that have
issued from the same womb, and been nursed with the same milk, have defaced all
the feelings of nature, and been divided in interests and affections; Cain and
Abel, Jacob and Esau, are sad precedents; but there is no such strife between
members of the same body. Who would use one hand to cut off another? or divide
those parts which preserve the mutual correspondence and welfare of the whole?
At least, brothers have not such a care for one another; each liveth for himself, a distinct life apart, and studieth his own profit and advantage; but it is not so in
the body, each member liveth in the whole, and the
whole in all the members, and they all exercise their several functions for the
common good.
And the
resemblance between the mystical and the personal union. In the hypostatical
union, our nature is united with Christ's nature; in the mystical union, our
person with his person. In the hypostatical union, Christ matched into our
family; in the mystical union, the soul is the bride. It is an honour to the whole kindred when a great person matcheth into their line and family, but more to the virgin
who is chosen and set apart for his bride. Thus Christ first honoured our nature, and then our persons; first he assumeth our nature, and then espouseth
our persons. In the hypostatical union, two diverse substances are united into
one person; in the mystical union, many persons are united into one body. In
the hypostatical union, Christ was a person before he assumed the human nature;
the body is a passive instrument, &c.; in the mystical union, on Christ's
[Pg. 36] part active, on ours passive. Christ is in us, in that he liveth in us, governeth us, maketh us partakers of his righteousness, life and spirit;
we are in him, as branches in the tree, rays in the sun, rivers in the
fountain: The divine nature is a person by itself, and can subsist of itself;
the other is only taken into the communion of his person. The human nature
communicates nothing to the divine, but only serveth
it as an instrument; so we communicate nothing to Christ, but receive all from
him. Both are wrought by the Spirit; the body natural of Christ was begotten by
the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, so this union is wrought by God's Spirit
By the first, Christ is bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh; by the second,
we are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh; there cometh in the kindred by
grace: Heb. ii. 11, 'For both he that sanctifieth and
they that are sanctified are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to
call them brethren.' He is of the same stock with all men, but he calleth none brethren but those that are sanctified; none
else can claim kindred of Christ, he will own no others. The hypostatical union
is indissoluble; it was never laid aside, not in death; it was the Lord of
glory that was crucified, it was the body of Christ in the grave So it is in
the mystical union; Christ and we shall never be parted. In death, the union is
dissolved between the body and the soul, but not between us and Christ; our
dust and bones are members of Christ In the hypostatical union, the natures are
not equal; the human nature is but a creature, though advanced to the highest
privileges that a creature is capable of; the divine nature assumed the human
by a voluntary condescension and gracious dispensation; and being assumed, it
always upholdeth it and snstaineth
it; so there is a mighty difference between us and Christ between the persons
united. Christ, as head and prince, is pleased to call us into communion with
himself, and to sustain us, being united. In the hypostatical union, the human
nature can do nothing apart from the divine; no more can we out of Christ: John
xv. 5, Ί am the vine, ye are the branches; he
that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do
nothing.' In the hypostatical union, God dwelleth in
Christ \~swmatikwv\~, Col. ii. 9, 'In him dwelleth all the
fulness of the Godhead bodily.' In the mystical union, God dwelleth
in us \~pneumatikwv\~, 1 John iv. 4, 'Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in
the world.' The hypostatical union is the ground of all that grace and glory
that was bestowed on the human nature, without which, as a mere creature, it
would not be capable of this exaltation; so the mystical union is the ground of
all that grace and glory which we receive. By the hypostatical union, Christ is
made our brother, he contracted affinity with the human nature; by the mystical
union he is made our head and husband, he weddeth our
persons. As by the hypostatical union there is a communion of properties, so
here is a kind of exchange between us and Christ: 2 Cor.
v. 21, 'For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him.' As the honour
of the divinity redoundeth to the human nature, so we
have a communion of all those good things which are in Christ Use 1. Let
us strive to imitate the Trinity in our respects both to the [Pg. 37] head and
our fellow-members, that you may neither dishonour
the head nor dissolve the union between the members. Christ useth
this expression to draw us up to the highest and closest union with himself and
one another.
1. In your respects to the head.
[l.] Let your union with him be more
close and sensible, that you may lie in the bosom of Christ, as Christ doth in
the bosom of God. Is Christ in us as God is in Christ? are we made partakers of
the divine nature as he is of ours? that you may say to him, as Laban to Jacob, Gen. xxix. 14, 'Surely thou art my bone and my flesh;' that you may feel
Christ in you: Gal. ii. 20,' I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live, yet
not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I
live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and
gave himself for me.' This mystery is not only to be believed, but felt.
[2.] In your care not to dishonour your head: 1 Cor. vi.
15,' Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take
the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid!'
[3.] By your delight and
complacency. You should make more of the person of Christ: Cant i. 13, 'A bundle of
myrrh is my beloved unto me; he shall lie all night between my breasts.' Keep
Christ close to the heart, delight in his company, and in frequent thoughts of
him. This should be the holy solace of the soul.
[4.] By your aims to glorify him.
The Father studieth the honour
of Christ, so doth the Spirit Thou art his, and all thine is his. Christ hath a
title to thy wit, wealth, estate, strength, to all thou hast or canst do in the
world. Dost thou spend thy estate as if it were not thine, but Christ's? use
thy parts as if they were not thine, but Christ's? Use thy parts as Christ's.
2. To your fellow-members. Walk as
those that are one, as Christ and the Father are one, seeking one another's
welfare, rejoicing in one another's graces and gifts, as if they were our own;
contributing counsel, assistance, sympathy, prayers for the common good, as if
thy own case were in hazard; living as if we had but one interest This is
somewhat like the Trinity.
Use 2. Let it
put us upon thanksgiving. No other union with us would content Christ but such
as carrieth some resemblance with the Trinity, the
highest union that can be. In love to our friends we wear their pictures about
our necks; Christ assumed our nature, espouseth our
persons; how should, we be ravished with the thought of the honour
done us I We were separated by the fall, and became base creatures; yet we are
not only restored to favour, but united to him.
Thirdly, The ground
of this union, 'One with us.' By the mystical union we are united to the whole
Trinity. Our communion with the Father is spoken of, 1 John i.
3,' That ye also may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with
the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.' Communion with the Son: 1 Cor. i. 9,' God is faithful, by
whom we are called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.' And
communion with the Spirit: 2 Cor. xiii. 14, 'The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the [Pg. 38] communion
of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen.' To distinguish them accurately is
very hard, only thus in general. We must have communion with all or none. There
is no coming to the Father but by the Son: John xiv. 6, 'I am the way, the
truth, and the life; no man cometh to the Father, but by me.' None can come to
the Son but by the Father: John vi. 44, 'No man can come to me, except the
Father, which hath sent me, draw him.' And none can come to both but by the
Spirit. Unity is his personal operation: Eph. iv. 3, 'Endeavouring
to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.' The Father hath a hand
in it, Christ hath a hand, the Spirit hath a hand.
Well, then, let us bless God that we
have such a complete object for our faith as Father, Son, and Spirit. The
Father bestoweth Christ on us, and us on Christ, as marriages
are made in heaven. The meritorious cause of this union is Christ the mediator,
by his obedience, satisfaction, and merit; otherwise the Father would not look
upon us; and the Spirit is sent from the Father and the Son to bring us to the
Father by the Son. The Spirit worketh this union, continueth it, and manifests it All the graces of God are
conveyed to us by the Spirit; the Spirit teacheth, comforteth, sealeth, sanctifieth; all is by the Holy Ghost And so are all our
acts of communion; we pray by the Spirit; if we love God, obey God, believe in
God, it is by the Spirit, that worketh faith, love,
and obedience We can want nothing that have Father, Son, and Spirit; whether we
think of the Father in heaven, the Son on the cross, or feel the Spirit in our
hearts. Election is of the Father, merit by the Son, actual grace from the Holy
Ghost: 1 Peter i. 2, 'Elect according to the
foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto
obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ' Our salvation standeth on a sure bottom; the beginning is from God the
Father, the dispensation through the Son, the application by the Spirit It is
free in the Father, sure in the Son, ours in the Spirit We cannot be thankful
enough for this privilege.
Fourthly, The end and
issue, 'That the world may believe that thou hast sent me.' By the world is
not meant the unconverted elect, for Christ had comprehended all the elect in these
words,' Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe
in me through their word,' ver. 20. The matter of his prayer is,' That they may
be one,' Ac.; and the reason,' That the world may believe that thou hast sent
me.' So that by the world is meant the reprobate lost world, who shall continue
in final obstinacy. By believing is meant not true saving faith, but
common conviction, that they may be gained to some kind of faith, a temporary
faith, or some general profession of religion; as John ii. 23,24, 'Many
believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did; but Jesus would
not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men;' and John xii. 42, 43,
'Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him, but because of
the pharisees, they did not confess him, lest they
should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than
the praise of God.' There believing is taken for being convinced of the truth
of hie religion, which he had established, though
they had no mind to profess it; or if so, yet they did not come under the full
power of it [Pg. 39]
But how is this the fruit of the
mystical union? The fruits of the mystical union are four, to this purpose:
1. Holiness: 'Whosoever is in Christ
is a new creature,' 2 Cor. v. 17. Sanctification is a
fruit of union: 1 Cor. i.
30, 'For of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.' And it is a means to convince
the world: Mark v. 16,' Let your light so shine before men, that they, seeing
your good works, may glorify your Father which is in heaven;' 1 Peter ii. 12,'
Having your conversation honest amongst the Gentiles, that whereas they speak
evil of you as of evil-doers, they may by your good works, which they shall
behold, glorify God in the day of visitation;' 1 Peter iii. 1, 'Likewise, ye
wives, be in subjection to your own husbands, that if any obey not the word,
they also may, without the word, be won by the conversation of the wives.'
2. Unity: 1 Cor.
xii. 13, 'For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body.' To endear us to
himself, and to one another as fellow-members, Christ would draw us into one
body: John xiii. 35,' By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if
ye have love one to another.' Aspice ut se mutuo diligunt
christiani! Oh! the mighty charity that was among
the primitive Christians: Acts iv. 32,' And the multitude of them that believed
were of one heart and of one soul.' Divisions in the church breed atheism in
the world.
3. Constancy in the profession of
the truth: Jude 1, 'To them that are sanctified by God the Father, and
preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.' We are preserved in Christ as wine in
the hogshead, being in the cabinet where God's jewels are kept Now this is
taking with the world.
4. Special care of God's providence.
God keepeth them as the apple of his eye: Dan. ii.
47, 'Of a truth it is that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and
a revealer of secrets, seeing he could reveal unto you this secret;' 1 Cor. xiv. 25, 'And thus are the secrets of his heart made
manifest, and so falling down on his face, he will worship God, and report that
God is in you of a truth;' Dan. iii. 28, 'Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego, who hath
sent his .angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have
changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve
nor worship any god, except their own God;' Dan. vi. 27, 'He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath
delivered Daniel from the power of the lions;' Josh. ii. 11, 'And as soon as we
had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more
courage in any man, because of you; for the Lord your God is God in heaven
above, and in earth beneath;' Acts v. 12-14, 'And by the hands of the apostles
were many signs and wonders wrought among the people, and they were all with
one accord in Solomon's porch; and of the rest durst no man join himself to
them: but the people magnified them, and believers were the more added to the
Lord, multitudes both of men and women.'
Doct. That the general conviction which
the lost world hath of the truth of Christianity is a very great blessing to
the church. Christ here prays for it,' Let them be one;' and why? that the lost
world, who are left out of his prayer,' may believe that thou hast sent me:'
that [Pg. 40] they might not count Christ to be an impostor, nor the doctrine
of the gospel a fable. And what Christ prayed for he had promised before; fur
as good men of old did suit their prayers to their foregoing sermons, so did
our Lord Jesus Christ suit this prayer to his foregoing sermon made to his
apostles. What did he promise to them? John xvi. 8-11, 'If I depart, I will
send the Comforter unto you; and when he is come, he will reprove the world of
sin, of righteousness, and of judgment Of sin because they believe not on me.
Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more. Of judgment
because the prince of this world is judged.' This is a difficult place; the
meaning is this:—In the context you will find the apostles were troubled about
Christ's departure, and their going out into the world to preach the gospel,
for they apprehended their service difficult; their master (for whom they
stood) despised, and looked upon as a seducer and mock king among the Jews,
their message very unpleasant as contrary to the carnal interests of men. Now
for a few weak men to be left to the hatred and opposition of a proud,
malicious, ambitious world, they that were to preach a doctrine contrary to the
lusts and interests of men, and go forth in the name of a master that was
despised and hanged on a tree, what shall they do? 'Be not troubled,' saith our
Saviour. He lays in many comforts, and among them,
that the world shall be convinced: 'The Spirit shall convince the world of
sin,' &c. Observe
1. The act,' He shall convince.'
2. The object,' The world.'
3. The particulars, what he shall
convince them of,' Of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment'
4. The means,' By the Spirit'
5. The effects of this, and how this
was accomplished, and what a mighty confirmation this was of the apostles'
testimony.
1. Consider the act,' He shall
reprove, or convince;' not convert, but convince; whereby is meant not only his
offering or affording sufficient means which might convince men, but his actual
convincing them thereby; even the reprobate world shall be so convinced as they
were put to silence, that they shall not easily be able to gainsay the truth;
nay, some of them shall obtain the profession of it And yet the Holy Ghost goeth no further with them than fully to convince them; the
work stoppeth there, they are not effectually
converted to God. As many carnal men, that remain in an unregenerate condition
to the last, may have many temporal gifts bestowed on them, whereby they may be
made useful to the real and true believers, and have strange changes and
flashes of conscience for a while, yet it went no further; therefore the
apostle saith, Heb. vi. 4, 5, 'They were enlightened, and had tasted of the
heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost; and have tasted the
good word of God, and the powers of the world to come.'
2. The
object of this work of the Spirit Whom shall he convince? 'The world.' It is
notable the church is not spoken of, but the world. Now the world is either the
unregenerate and unconverted world, or else the reprobate and lost world, who
finally persist in their unbelief or want of saving faith. This mad raging
world shall be convinced, and eo their opposition
taken off, or their edge blunted, and they made [Pg. 41] more easy and
kind to his people, though they are hut convinced, and continue still in a
state of nature. Nay, some of them shall join with them, and be made greatly
useful to them; therefore they need not fear though all the power and learning
in the world were against them at that time.
3. The
particulars whereof they are convinced, Of sin, of righteousness, and of
judgment.' Grotins and other interpreters observe
there were three sorts of causes of actions among the Jews, \~peri\~ \~amartiav\, concerning criminal matters, or \~peri\~ \~dikaiosunhv\~, in defending
the just and upright, or \~peri\~ \~krisewv\~, in urging the law of retaliation for damage
done. Sometimes there was a suit commenced to know whether a man were a
criminal or no; at other times, if any man had been wronged, there was a suit
commenced concerning righteousness and innocency, and
the man was acquitted in court Sometimes there was an action concerning
judgment, and that was concerning retaliation, giving eye for eye, tooth for
tooth, recompensing the party wronged concerning damage done. So here, the Holy
Ghost at his coming should be the advocate of Christ against the world, who had
rejected and crucified him. One action that he should put in against the world
was concerning sin, whether Christ or the despisers of his grace were guilty of
a crime. It would appear in the issue that not to believe in him was a sin, as
well as to transgress the moral or natural law. The second action was
concerning righteousness, to vindicate his innocency,
though he suffered among them as a malefactor, in that he was owned by God, and
taken up into heaven, as a clear testimony of his innocency.
The third action was that of judgment, or punishing injurious persons by way of
retaliation; that those which struck out another's eye or tooth were to lose
their own, or he that had wronged another man in his substance should lose as
much of his own. This action he had against Satan, who with his instruments had
put Christ to death; now 'the prince of this world shall be judged;'
retaliation shall be done upon him, his kingdom destroyed, his idols and
oracles battered down, and put to silence and under disgrace. And thus the
Spirit should come to convince the world that it was a sin not to believe in
Christ, who was a righteous and innocent person; and the devil, which did the
wrong, should have right done upon him, that he should be destroyed, and his
kingdom demolished. All these we have, Acts v. 30, 31, 'The God of our lathers
raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with
his right hand to be a prince and a saviour, to give repentence to
[1.] 'Of sin, because they believe
not in me.' The Spirit shall convince them that Christ is the Son of God, the
great prophet and true Messiah; and so it is a sin to reject him and his doctrine;
that unbelief is a sin as well as the breach of the moral law; and that the
Lord Jesus Christ is to be owned as a mediator, as well as God as a lawgiver.
All will grant that a breach of the law of God is a sin; but the Spirit shall
convince that a transgression against the gospel is a sin, as well as against
the law.
[2.] 'Of righteousness, because I go
to my Father, and ye shall see me no more. That Christ did not remain in the
state of the dead, but rose again, and ascended, and liveth
with the Father in glory and majesty; and therefore that he was not a seducer,
but that righteous one; and so, however he was rejected! by men, yet he was
owned and accepted by God, and all his pretensions justified, and so might
sufficiently convince the world that it is blasphemy to oppose him as a
malefactor, and his kingdom and interest in the world: there needeth no more to persuade men that he was that holy and
righteous one.
[3.] 'Of judgment, because the
prince of this world is judged.' The devil is the prince of this world: Eph.
vi. 12, 'The ruler of the darkness of this world;' and he was condemned by
virtue of Christ's death, and judgment executed upon him by the Spirit: John
xii. 31, 'Now shall the prince of this world be cast out.' He was foiled and vanquished
by Christ, and by the power of the gospel; was to be vanquished more and more,
by silencing his oracles, destroying his kingdom, recovering poor captive
souls, translating them out of the kingdom of darkness into a state of
holiness, liberty, light, and life; the usurped power he had over the blind and
guilty world is taken from him; now his judgment shall be executed.
4. The way and means whereby this
should be brought about, by the coming of the Spirit, or the sending the
comforter. When he came, the disciples and messengers of Christ had large
endowments, whereby they were enabled to speak powerfully and boldly to every
people in their own tongue, and to endure their sufferings and ill-usage with
great courage and fortitude, and to work miracles, as to cure diseases, cast
out devils, to confer extraordinary gifts, to silence Satan's oracles, and to
destroy the kingdom and power of the devil, and to establish a sure way of the
pardon of sins, and bring life and immortality to light, preaching that truth
which should establish sound holiness, and helping to restore human nature to
its rectitude and integrity. And by this means he should convince the world of
sin, of righteousness, and of judgment
5. Consider
the effects, suitable both to his promise and prayer. The Acts of the Apostles
are a comment on this. Many of the elect [Pg. 43] were converted. At the first
sermon after the pouring out of the Spirit, all that heard the apostles
discoursing that Jesus was appointed to be Lord and Christ, were 'pricked in
their hearts.' and convinced, Acts ii. 37, 38. This was not conversion, for they
cried out, 'What shall we do? And Peter said, 'Repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.' Three thousand were converted by
this sermon, and five thousand at another time, Acts iv. 4, when they preached
boldly in the name of Jesus; yet others were only convinced, pricked in heart,
though they had not yet attained to evangelical repentance; some that remained
'in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity;' yet they admired the things
the apostles did, and desired to share with them in their great privileges:
Acts viii. 18, 19, 'When Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles'
hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also
this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.'
Yea, and some that were upon the benches and thrones, and sat as judges, were
almost persuaded to be Christians by a prisoner in a chain; as Felix: Acts
xxiv. 25, 'As Paul reasoned of righteousness, and temperance, and judgment to
come, Felix trembled.' And Agrippa: Acts xxvi. 28,' Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. Some were forced to
magnify them, who had not a heart to join with them: Acts v. 13, 'And of the
rest durst no man join himself to them, but the people magnified them.' Some
would have worshipped them, who were yet pagans: Acts xiv. 11, 'And when the
people saw what Paul had done, they said, The gods are come down to us in the
likeness of men.' Some were astonished at what was done by the apostles: Acts
viii. 13,' Then Simon himself believed also; and when he was baptized, he
continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the signs and miracles which
were done.' Some marvelled at their boldness: Acts
iv. 13, 'Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that
they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled,
and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.' What is this
cowardly Peter, that was foiled with the weak blast of a damsel? Nay, their
bitterest enemies were nonplussed in their resolutions, when they had to do
with them, and were afraid to meddle with them: Acts iv. 16, 'What shall we do
to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is
manifest to all them that dwell in