SERMON
XXViii.
"And what is the exceeding
greatness of his power to us-ward, who believe, according to the working of the
might of his power; the same which he wrought in Christ, (or, put forth in
Christ,) when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in
the heavenly places," &c.- Ver. 19, 20.
1 SHALL repeat nothing unto you of what I delivered in the
last discourse. I will only give you the general heads.
These words, 'And
what is the exceeding greatness of his power,' &c., refer, as you have
formerly heard, to the words in the 18th verse, where Paul prayeth, 'that the
eyes of their understandings might be enlightened, that ye may know what is the
hope of his calling, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to
us-ward,' &c. So that, indeed, these words are the last part of Paul's
prayer, which consisteth of three things which he prayeth for.
1. That they
may know what was the hope of their calling, the ground of their hope.
2.
What were the riches of that inheritance they were called unto, and had ground
to hope for; 'what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the
saints.'
3. What power it was had both begun to work in them and was
engaged to bring them to this inheritance; and that in the words I have read.
There are five general heads - I propounded but four at first - unto which I
reduce all the opening of these words; whereof I have despatched three already.
The first general head is the reference of these words, their various aspect;
they look several ways, both to what is before and what is after. That I have
handled formerly.
Secondly, There are the parts of the words.
First, Here is a more general description or amplification of the power
of God manifested to believers, and that in two things.
1. There is the
exceeding greatness of it; 'the exceeding greatness of his power.' That I have
handled.
2. There is the efficacy of it, in those words, 'according to the
effectual working of the might of his power.'
So much in general,
concerning the power of God here set forth.
Secondly, Here are the
persons to whom it is drawn forth; 'to us-ward,' believers. I have opened that
likewise, and given those observations that arise from thence. Here is,
Thirdly, The work wherein this great power is manifested in
believers. It is not to be restrained only to the resurrection at the last day,
but enlarged also to their conversion, and all God's gracious dealings with
them from first to last. And because there was a controversy upon that, whether
conversion should be taken in, yea or no, I have therefore done three things to
clear that.
The first was to prove that conversion is meant and intended
here by the Apostle, as that wherein God sheweth forth the exceeding greatness
of his power.
Secondly, for the opening of this, I shewed you wherein the
exceeding greatness of power is drawn forth; or what it is in conversion
draweth forth so exceeding a great power. Thirdly, which was the thing I
handled in the last discourse, I shewed how that by way of difference there are
inferior works of the Holy Ghost upon men's hearts, which have not in
proportion (compare the works) so exceeding greatness of power manifested in
them. I shewed this to clear the text, for he saith it is 'the exceeding
greatness of his power to us-ward;' to none else, in all works that are wrought
upon them, let them go never so far. And likewise I did it to shew the occasion
of that controversy. And all these things I have despatched.
There are yet
these things remaining to be handled
I. The first is, I must speak
something concerning their knowledge of this power; for if you mark it, he
prayeth in the 18th verse that God would give them enlightened eyes, to know
what is the exceeding greatness of his power in them that believe. I spake
something concerning the knowledge of every particular else he prayeth for, and
therefore I must do something about the knowledge of the power of God in
them.
II. The second thing which remaineth is this: The parallel or the
pattern that the Apostle prayeth they might have in their eye, when they
consider how great a power works in them; even the same power, saith he, that
wrought in Christ, in raising him from detail to glory.
in. Then the third
thing to be handled, which belongeth to the 20th verse, is this: The
resurrection and exaltation of Jesus Christ from death to glory; which he
continueth to the end of the chapter.
I. I must begin then with that, which
is the knowledge that believers have, or which he prayeth they should have, of
the power of God working in them. And concerning that I shall give you, for the
explication of it, these three particulars; whereof some will be considerations
about it, some will be observations.
I will give you, first, this
distinction, that you may understand it the better, because the Apostle's scope
here in his prayer is, that they may know the power that works in them that
believe. You shall find in Phil. in. 10, that the Apostle himself expresseth
his own desires; 'that I may know,' saith he, 'the power of his resurrection,
and the fellowship of his sufferings, if by any means I might attain unto the
resurrection from the dead.' The Apostle here prayeth, 'they might know the
exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward that believe, the same that wrought
in Christ when he raised him from the dead.' You would think now, that the
knowledge the Apostle speaks there and speaks here are all one, but they are
not. Therefore, in the first place, I will give you a distinction of the
knowledge, both from what is there meant and what is here meant.
There is a
twofold knowledge of the power of Christ's resurrection. The one is a knowledge
of faith, the other is a knowledge of experience.
In that place, Phil. in.
10; the knowledge he prays for there is a knowledge of experience; that he
might know the power and virtue of Christ's resurrection in the effects of it;
that he might find those effects upon his heart which Christ's resurrection is
ordained to work in him; and therefore, saith he, ver. 11, 'If by any means I
might attain unto the resurrection from the dead,' that is, to be as perfectly
holy as those that are risen from the dead. I would find, saith he, this effect
of the resurrection of Christ. That is meant by the power of his resurrection
there.
There is likewise a knowledge of faith; and that is this, for a man
by faith to take in and understand that he may glorify God, and believe what a
great power it was that raised up Christ from death to life, and that no less
power works in believers when it works faith; and that is the knowledge the
Apostle meaneth here. His meaning is not, that you may know more and more - if
you will, you may take it in, it is not the chief scope - the effects of the
resurrection of Jesus Christ; but from the effects that were in their hearts by
faith, they might see the power that wrought it. This is the Apostle's scope
here. As there is a double knowledge of a physician, who hath already
oftentimes cured you of a disease. You know what skill is in him, that you may
thank him; but then you send for him anew, and you desire to know the power of
his medicines, and to know his skill rather by giving you new physic, and
restoring you to health anew. That is the knowledge the Apostle meaneth in the
Philippians; the other is the knowledge he meaneth here. And therefore, if you
observe it, the words, 'what is the exceeding greatness of his power,' are
referred to what went before, 'that you may have your eyes enlightened to see,'
or to know, 'what is the power,' &c. Not only to have hearty experience of
the effects of that power in them, but eyes to know the power that hath wrought
in you already the faith you have, and will further work in you. It is a
knowledge of faith, to believe it is so great a power, the same that wrought in
Christ that works in you.
And so much now for that first particular, which
is the first thing to clear this concerning the knowledge of the power that
works in us.
The second thing I propound to clear is this: How useful this
knowledge is to Christians, to know the power that works in them to be the same
that wrought in Jesus Christ, when he was raised from the dead.
For that I
must refer you to what I delivered concerning the Apostle's scope and reference
of these words, as it here cometh in. I shall repeat it to you with
enlargement.
It is useful, first, to the end you may be thankful. So at the
15th verse, Paul giveth thanks because God had converted them, that they might
give thanks too, and see the more cause to do it; he prayeth here, they may
know the power that wrought in them, the same power that wrought in Christ. You
use to value a kindness by the love that is shewn in it; and you are to value a
work of God upon you by the power that is put forth in it, and accordingly to
be thankful. And, therefore, you shall find that the Scripture doth speak of
the power of God in converting a man at first. The Apostle here in this second
chapter, when he applieth all this to the Ephesians, goeth over the greatness
of the work, that they might see the power. You were dead in sins and
trespasses, and you hath he quickened; and faith is the gift of God, it is not
in yourselves; you are his workmanship, created to good works. It is all to
this end, that they might see the greatness of this power. And therefore, 1
Cor. i., from the 18th to the 26th verse, the Apostle saith, that God hath
chosen out the most foolish means in the world, and the weakest means; to what
end? To shew his wisdom and power in saving men. The preaching of Christ, saith
he, is of all means the most foolish, for it preacheth and teacheth you to
believe in a crucified God; it is so for the matter of it, most foolish. And of
all means else it is the most weak, for it is saving men by the breath of a
weak man. And why hath God chosen out these two? To shew, saith he, that 'the
foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God stronger than
men.' It was to magnify his power so much the more in the work of conversion.
'The Jews,' saith he, 'require a sign,' that is his expression there, ver. 22.
A sign, what is that? It is some extraordinary miracle to make them believe.
What doth he oppose to a sign? 'It hath pleased God,' saith he, 'through the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.'
Now then, his meaning
in a word is this: let there be never so many signs and wonders wrought before
you, they will never work faith; they may work an historical faith indeed. Look
how far education prepareth you to believe, that you are brought up in the
knowledge of the true God and the true Christ by education; so far miracles did
bring the heathens and the Jews. They did serve instead of education to work in
men an historical faith; but yet, saith he, when it cometh to the point, it is
not a sign that will do it, but it must be the power of God to work faith.
Then again, another end which this knowledge of God serveth for, as to magnify
the power of God, so it serveth to strengthen your faith for the future; that
from the experience of that power you have found already in your hearts, you
might gather and collect what a mighty power was engaged, and would continue
still to work in you. And therefore, you shall find in Scripture, that the
Apostle doth often come in with this; 'To him that is able to keep you,' so you
have it in Jude 24. My brethren, you are not to look what your own weaknesses
are, but what the power of God is in bringing you to salvation. As in the point
of mercy you are not to look what your sins are, but what the grace of God in
Christ is, you are to eye that; so now the Apostle, when he would draw up these
believers' hearts, and wind them up to the height, consider, saith he, as
Abraham did, not his own weakness of body, but the power of God. So do you,
saith he, consider not your own sins, not your own distresses; these will all
argue to you that you will fall short at last; but consider the power that
works in you, to strengthen your hearts for the future.
I mentioned other
things in the coherence, all which come under this head, how useful this
knowledge is to a believer. I will only add one thing more, and that is this:
you should to that end endeavour and pray to know what is the power that works
in you, that you might have dependence continually on that power. That is the
scope of the Apostle, why he would have them know it; it is useful to this end,
that they might see what continual dependence they had upon the power of God,
not only to see that without him you could do nothing, but that it is he that
works all you do. Your will beareth not one part, and his power another, but it
is he that works in you both the will and the deed, as it is Phil. ii. 13. God
doth not only work with the will, but he works rather by the will. And
therefore, you should labour to know the power that works in you to this end,
that you might see your dependence upon God for every good thing he works in
you.
'There is a notable place to this purpose, which I confess I should
have more enlarged upon. Here you see the same power works that wrought in
Christ when he was raised from the dead. Now, you shall find in Heb. xiii. 21,
that it is the same power goeth to work every good thing in you; not only the
principle of grace, but every act of grace. Tllercfore the Apostle prayeth they
might know the power that wrought in them, to this end that they might have a
dependence upon that power for the working of all good in them, not only at the
first, but to the end of their days. Read the words there in the Hebrews, 'The
God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great
shepherd of the sheep.' Why is this preface used of Christ's resurrection? Mark
what followeth, 'make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in
you that which is well-pleasing in his sight.' Why doth he mention the title of
Christ's resurrection, when he speaks of working in them, not only grace at
first, but every good thing that is pleasing in his sight? Because the same
power that goeth to convert your souls at first, goeth to increase every degree
of grace in you, and to work every good work. As suppose I am to pray, I am to
have that power put forth in my soul - if I make a prayer pleasing in his sight
- that was put forth in raising Christ from death to life. Therefore, saith the
Apostle, 'the God of peace, that brought again from the dead the great shepherd
of the sheep, make you perfect in every good work.' So now, to the end you
might see your dependence upon God for everything you do, - not only for the
beginning of your faith, to praise him, but for the finishing of your faith, to
depend upon him, - he prayeth that they might see and know what this power
was.
In 2 Thess. j. 11, the Apostle prayeth that God would 'fulfil all the
good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith 'with power.' So that the
fulfilling of the work of faith is with power, as well as the beginning of it.
They had found the power of God in working faith in them at first; read 1
Thess. i, 'Our gospel came unto you not in word only, but also in power.' Here
he speaks of their first conversion. Now, in 2 Thess. 1. 11, he prayeth that
God would perfect this faith with the same power he had begun it. Therefore he
prayeth here that they might know what this power is that wrought grace at
first, to the end they might depend upon the same power to perfect it, for no
less would do it.
I might be large upon this point, for indeed I had
intended to be so. I could shew you that every act of grace must have an
almighty power go with it to draw it forth. I will only give you in another
scripture, that as here you see the work of faith is with power, so you shall
see the work of patience and long-suffering, to bear afflictions, to do it so
as to please God, is a work of an almighty power too. The place is Col. 1.11.
It is one of Paul's prayers too. He prayeth that they may be 'strengthened with
all might, according to his glorious power, to all patience and long-suffering
with joyfulness.' To make a man patient and long-suffering, patient under
afflictions, long-suffering to bear with the faults of others, and to expect
the promise, though much time be spent before we obtain it, he saith it is a
work of power, and a work of glorious power, wherein God sheweth the glory of
his power, the exceeding greatness of his power, for then it cometh to glory
when an exceeding greatness of power is manifested, an overcoming power; for
that is properly glory when victory attendeth power, when power overcometh. 'I
am able to do all things,' saith Paul; it is a proud word, a very proud word,
but what followeth? 'Through Christ that strengtheneth me.' So in 2 Tim. ii. 1,
'Be strong,' - he speaks to Timothy, and he speaks to him as if he spake to a
giant that had all strength in himself; be strong, be valiant; but what
followeth? - ' Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.'
Now then,
that you might know your dependence you have upon the Lord Jesus Christ, he
prayeth that ye may know the power that wrought in Christ in raising him from
the dead works in you.
My brethren, you must know this, that you are not
only dead in sins and trespasses in respect of justffication, but you are so in
respect of sanctillcation also. If a man have never so much grace and holiness,
he is to look upon himself as ungodly in respect of being justilled; so saith
the Apostle, ibm. iv. 5, 'To him that worketh not, but believeth on him that
justilleth the ungodly.' He speaks of Abraham's faith. Abraham looked upon
himself as ungodly when he went out of himself to be justilled; and this after
he had grace, for in himself he was so. You are to do the like in respect of
your dependence upon God for sanctillcation; you are to look upon yourselves as
dead creatures, dead in sins and trespasses you were once, and of yourselves
you are so still; and all grace that is wrought in you, though it be a
principle of life, is dead when it cometh to work, if the almighty power of God
assist it not.
Not but that a regenerate man hath a capacity in him which a
wicked man hath not; for he is a charcoal that hath been in the fire already,
therefore he is capable to take fire sooner, - he hath habitual grace more
fitted to be stirred up, but yet the coal is a dead coal of itself; so that a
new life to every action must be put into you, if you have any life and
stirring in you.
And so much now concerning the second head, the use that
this knowledge is unto men, to know the power that works in them.
Thirdly, I
shall give you two observations about that knowledge which will further clear
it.
Obs. 1. - The first observation is this, That believers that have
true grace wrought in them, may yet be much ignorant of the power that works it
You see the Apostle here prayeth for them that were believers already, that
they might have enlightened eyes to know what was 'the exceeding greatness of
his power to us-ward who believe.' What Job saith of the works of nature, chap.
xxvi. 14, is much more true of the work of grace. He speaks in the former part
of the chapter of the works of nature, and how doth he conclude it? 'Lo,
these,' saith he, 'are parts of his ways: but how little a portion' (or how
little a drop, as some read it) 'is heard of him? but the thunder of his power
who can understand?' In working all these works of nature, saith he, God makes
as still a noise as when a drop falleth which we can scarce hear; but the
thunder of his power, that is, the force of his power, - it is not the noise of
his power; thunder is put for force, so it is in that book of Job often, as
chap. xxxix. 19, and elsewhere, - who can understand? So I may say to you, when
you hear great things spoken of conversion, yet how little a drop of his power
is that; how little a noise doth it make in men's spirits! There is a thunder
of power goes to work it, a mighty force goeth to work it, but yet it makes but
the noise of a drop, it is but a little drop which we hear; there is a still
voice in which God is, and in which his mighty power i; and he passeth by, and
we know it not.
My brethren, when we tell you there is such a mighty power
in conversion, your thoughts run to nothing but thundering works; you think
presently this power must lie in thundering men down to hell with terrors. No,
it lies in changing men's hearts by an omnipotent power, but that power is but
a still work, it is but a drop, and it falleth as a drop; for so conversion is
compared. 'My doctrine shall distil as the dew;' it soaks into men's hearts,
and there is a thunder of power goeth with it, though it is not heard.
The
conversion of a sinner, the power of it, and his not feeling it, I may compare
to that change which shall be at the latter day. 'We shall not all die,' saith
he, 'but we shall all be changed.' Suppose you lived at the latter day, and
were saints and believers when Christ came to judgment, you should see some
men's bodies raised out of the grave, but your own bodies and spirits will be
changed, changed in an instant; you will not find a mighty power upon you
sensibly, but you will find a mighty work whereby you shall find yourselves not
to be the men you were; your bodies will shine as the sun in an instant. So is
it here, my brethren; there is a change wrought in a man's heart in a still
way; this is a mighty thing. If a man will judge it by what he feeleth, if he
will judge it by any violent power put forth in it, there is exceeding little,
a man feeleth nothing. He feeleth stirrings and workings in his spirit indeed,
as there will be when a man is thus changed ; there will be an elevation of the
spirit and of the body at the latter day; but for any violent work there will
be none. So oftentimes is it here; yet it is the same power that changeth men
that doth raise them out of the grave, from the dust, and as much is the one as
the other.
And as I may very well compare it thus: men that have
dispositions never so near grace, yet, as I said before, and I will give you
this comparison now, to put grace into their hearts and to change them truly is
like the change that will be wrought at the latter day in men's bodies and
minds that are believers. They have life already, but to change them there must
go an almighty power, and the same power that goes to raise others out of their
graves.
Now, my brethren, what is the scope of all this? It is not only to
comfort poor believers, though they have not found a work of so much noise in
their hearts, of so much violence and disturbance; that is not it, wherein God
cometh forth in the exceeding greatness of his power; he came in the still
small voice when he was not in the earthquake and in the rending of the rocks.
Thou mayest have a mighty work upon thee, and yet not know the exceeding
greatness of power that goes to work it. This, I say, is not the scope so much;
but it is that you should not censure such whose judgments are that there is
not so great a power put forth in conversion; they may have grace for all that:
for the Apostle prayeth here that they may know, they that had grace, that they
may know what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward that believe.
You are not to censure them therefore, not simply for that. That is the first
observation that belongeth to the third head.
Obs. 2. - The second
is this, That in the matter of salvation men do as much stick in an ignorance
and unbelief of the power of God towards them, as his will and mercy. Here you
see the Apostle prayeth as heartily they might know the power that works in
them, both that they may be thankful, and likewise that they may depend upon it
for the future, as you would do to know the riches of the mercy that is in God,
and his good-will towards you.
There are two things mainly which are the
object of men's faith; both put together draw men in to believe. The one is to
believe that the power of God is able to do it; and the other to believe his
good-will. Now, men do stick as much at the belief of the power of God in
working, that he is able to work, as at his good-will, that he will work.
Therefore the Apostle prayeth here, you see, that they may have eyes
enlightened to know the exceeding greatness of his power. Abraham's faith is
described to us, Rom. iv. 21, by his trusting in the power of God. 'He was
strong in faith,' saith he, 'being fully persuaded that, what he had promised,
he was able also to perform.' This was the great faith of our father Abraham;
it was placed upon the power of God, as well as upon his good-will. Now, take a
poor sinner that hath lived long in doubt whether God would own him or no; he
sticks only at this, I know God is able to save me, saith he, but I do not know
whether he will or no. But I tell you, my brethren, you stick as much at the
power of God to save you, as you do at the mercy of God, and it is an equal
difficulty to believe the one as the other; and therefore, when such a soul
findeth himself pardoned, what doth he use to say? Is it possible that such a
one as I should have mercy? 'Let the power of my Lord be great,' saith Moses,
Num. xiv. 17, 'to forgive the iniquity and transgression of this people.'
I
might illustrate this point unto you, but I shall be prevented in what
followeth. Only this, therefore you have it in Scripture so often, the Apostle
mentioning it; as 2 Tim. i. 12, 'I know whom I have believed, and I am
persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him.' His
faith, you see, is founded upon the power of God. 'To him that is able to do
exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,' Eph. in. 20. 'To him that
is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the
presence of his glory,' Jude 24. And, speaking of the conversion of the Jews,
Rom. xi. 23, 'God is able,' saith he, 'to graff them in again;' he doth not
only say God is willing to do it, but he is able; that is his expression there.
This alludeth to what was said to Ezekiel, when the dry bones were presented to
him, Ezek. xxxvii. 3, those dry bones are the Jews; 'Son of man, can these
bones live?' Yet, saith Paul, he is able to engraff them, able to raise
them.
I speak this to this purpose, to shew that the Scripture holdeth
forth .as much the power of God for the object of our faith as the mercy and
goodwill of God. Dost thou believe that I am able to help thee? It was the
question that Christ asked the poor man that brought his possessed child to be
cured, Mark ix. 23. And the thing he propounded to Christ was his ability to
help him, his power. 'If thou caust do anything,' saith he, 'have compassion on
us.' Therefore the Apostle prayeth here that they may know what is the
exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward that believe. So much now
concerning that fourth general head, which is the knowledge of this power which
the Apostle here prayeth for.
II. I come now in the next place to the
parallel between these two. He compareth, you see here, the resurrection of
Jesus Christ and his exaltation to glpry, the power of it, to that that works
conversion in us, and all other good works.
The parallel, then, between
what power wrought in Christ and works in us, - or rather, that Christ is the
pattern of; what God wrought in him he will work in us; which he would have
Christians have in their eye, - that is the next thing to be spoken to :
'that you may know,' saith he, 'what is the exceeding greatness of his power
to us-ward, who believe according to the working of the might of his power that
he wrought in Christ.' That Jesus Christ is the pattern, the common
instance or evidence, that look what he had wrought in him, the same power
should work in us, that is the Apostle's meaning. Now, this parallel is but
hinted to us only in a touch here in the 19th verse; 'according,' saith he, 'to
the working,' &c.
For the opening of this I shall give you likewise
these few considerations, whereof the first shall be more general, and yet
raised out of the text.
The general consideration is this, which hath two
things in it: That Christ is set forth to us as a pattern, as a standard set up
by God, both of what he will be to us, and what he will work in us. I say, he
set up Jesus Christ as a common standard, a common pattern to himself, that
look what he putteth forth toward Christ out of himself, the same he will put
forth to us; look what works he wrought in Jesus Christ, the same he will work
in us. He is a pattern both of the affections of God, - the same affection, the
same disposition he beareth to Christ he beareth to us, - and likewise the same
works he wrought upon Christ he will work upon us.
This is an infinite
comfort to believers, that God hath not only set up Jesus Christ as a pattern
that we should love him as Christ hath loved us, that we should follow Christ's
example and imitate him in all things, our works should be like Christ's: I
say, this is not all, but for our comfort - . the other is for matter of duty -
but for our comfort, God hath set up Jesus Christ as a pattern to himself, that
look what he hath been to Christ, that lie will be to us; look what he wrought
in Christ, he will work in us.
He is a pattern, first, of the attributes
that Cod manifested in Christ; the same shall be manifested in us; that the
text is clear for. Hath he shewn exceeding greatness of power in Christ? 'I
pray that you may know,' saith he, 'what is the exceeding greatness of his
power to us-ward;' the same he wrought in Christ. Here is the same attribute
put forth, the same power that wrought in Christ works in us.
Then,
secondly, he is set up by God as a pattern of the same works; that is implied
in these words, 'which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the
dead.'
First of all, Jesus Christ is the pattern set up by God to himself,
that of the same attributes he sheweth forth and manifesteth 'in Christ, the
same he will shew forth in us. Here is an instance of power; I will give you
but one instance more of love, and so I will pass from that. Here he saith the
exceeding greatness of that power which wrought in Christ works in us. Look
John xvii. 23, and there you shall find the same love wherewith he loveth
Christ he loveth us. 'I in them,' saith he, 'and thou in me, that the world may
know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me.' So
that Christ is set up by God as a pattern to himself, to shew forth the same
attributes in us that he did in him; here is, you see, the same power put forth
to Christ and to us in the words of the text; here is the same love put forth
towards us as was towards him; 'that thou hast loved them,' saith he, 'as thou
hast loved me.' He sheweth how they are one; as he is one with the Father, they
are one with him in their proportion; now always love followeth union, and
therefore accordingly as he hath loved him he loveth them. We use to love the
members and the head with the same love, because we love the members in
relation to the head. A father-in-law loveth the husband and the wife, the
daughter-in-law, with the same love, because he loveth her in relation to his
son, her husband. So doth God love his children, members of Christ, with the
same love he loveth Christ the Head; and he loveth the Church, the spouse of
Christ, his daughter as he calleth her, Ps. xlv., with the same love as he
loveth Christ her husband, that is, his Son. As in Eph. v. 25, Sic., speaking
of the peculiar love men should have to their wives, ' Husbands, love your
wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he
might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he
might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or
any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to
love their wives as their own bodies; he that loveth his wife loveth himself.'
So doth God love us, as he loveth Christ; 'that thou hast loved them as thou
lovedst me.'
So that, my brethren, you see in general, that God hath set up
our Lord Jesus Christ as a pattern to himself of the same affections and
attributes as he manifested in him, to manifest in us.
He is a pattern
likewise of the same works; the same power that wrought in Christ works also in
us. Here you see he raised up Christ from death to life, he set him at his own
right hand in heavenly places. Read chap. ii. 5; saith he, 'You, that were dead
in sins and trespasses, hath he quickened together with Christ, and hath raised
us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.'
The same power that wrought in Christ, the very same work he wrought in Christ,
he works in us also. This is the Apostle's scope.
But now here lies the
great thing, more particularly: it is not so much to compare the work wrought
in Christ and in us together, to shew that God works the same works in us which
he wrought in Christ; but that which the text holdeth forth is, that the same
proportion of power that was put forth in raising up Christ from death to life,
is put forth in converting us and bringing us to heaven. Therein lieth the
parallel especially. So that now this is the thing I am to speak to: it is not
to shew the likeness of Christ's resurrection and exaltation to the work of
conversion; that is not the scope in hand; but to shew that the same power that
God putteth forth in the one, he putteth forth in the other. That is it which
makes the parallel, as it is intended here.
To shew you this I must do two
things.
First, I must shew you the greatness of power that was required to
raise up Jesus Christ from death to glory.
Secondly, That there is a like
proportion of power put forth in working upon our hearts to the power that was
put forth in Christ's resurrection. I have spoken much of the power of God in
conversion, in general; 'the exceeding greatness of his power.' That which now
remaineth is to shew, that it holdeth proportion with that power which raised
up Christ from death to glory. 'According to the working of his mighty power,
which he wrought in Christ, saith he.
For the first of these two, That
there was an exceeding greatness of power put forth by God in raising up Christ
from death to glory; there is a great difficulty in opening this point unto you
clearly, to shew you wherein this power lay. I will give you a parallel place
of Scripture, wherein you shall see that of all works that God did do for
Christ, the raising of him up from death to glory was a work of the most power,
- set aside that of the incarnation, - did manifest and declare the greatest
power of all other. The scripture is Rom. i. 3, 4, 'Jesus Christ our Lord, who
was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the
Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection
from the dead.' I quote this place for this, as you shall see in the opening of
it, that of all works else, Jesus Christ was declared with the greatest power,
to be the Son of God, by the resurrection from the dead.
I will open these
words unto you a little, for the scope of the place here is the same with what
is in my text.
He speaks of two natures that are in Christ, his human
nature and his divine nature; that is the first thing tendeth to open these
words. His human nature is expressed in these words, 'he was made of the seed
of David according to the flesh;' that is, take him according to his human
nature, he was the son of David: and, saith he, declared to be the Son of God
by the Spirit of holiness; by Spirit of holiness he meaneth his divine nature;
that is, as concerning his divine nature he was declared to be the Son of God.
Every parcel, if I may so speak, in the Trinity is called Spirit; you see his
divine nature is called here the Spirit of holiness, for God is a. Spirit; and
so is the second Person as well as the third, he is a Spirit too; he is God,
and therefore called the Spirit of holiness. 'God is a Spirit,' saith he, John
iv. 24.
Now observe the difference, 'He was made of the seed of David
according to the flesh.' Take his human nature, he was made; but take his
divine nature, the Spirit of holiness in him, ho was only 'declared to be the
Son of God;' he was not made the Son of God, he was begotten, not made. Now he
was declared with power to be so.
I will not stand to open those words,
'declared,' Sic., and the various acceptation of them. Only observe, that he
was declared with power to be the Son of God, with an omnipotent power; as, in
Luke iv. 36, it is said, 'with power he commanded the unclean spirits, and they
came out;' such a power as is only proper to God. But the main thing I quote
the place for is this, what it was that declared Christ with so much power to
be the Son of God? It followeth, 'by the resurrection from the dead,' saith he.
Why doth he instance in this? He had wrought miracles, you know; he had raised
Lazarus, and he had raised another from the dead; doth not that argue him to be
the Son of God with as much power as his own resurrection? No; if you will
have, saith he, an instance of an almighty power, and that he was the Son of
God, take his resurrection from the dead; he was declared mightily to be the
Son of God by his resurrection. Therefore the apostles, if you observe it, when
they would prove him to be the Son of God, the Messiah, still you shall find
they open his resurrection. Look Acts ii., from the 22d verse, and so on; when
they would convince the Jews that he was the Messiah, they do it by his
resurrection. And look Acts iv. 2, you have the like, where it is said, 'They
taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.'
You shall find the like Acts xin. 33, where Paul proveth him to be the Messiah
by the resurrection from the dead. And therefore, in 1 Tim. in. 16, Christ is
said to be 'justilled in the Spirit;' that is, having been put to death in the
flesh, and quickened by the Spirit, his Godhead, ha was justilled, he was
declared that righteous one that had died for sin, and to be the Son of God, to
all the world. Now then, how doth the resurrection of Christ argue him to be
the Son of God with power, that the exceeding greatness of his power should be
put forth in his being raised from the dead? That is the thing I must speak
to.
Interpreters upon that place, ibm. i. 4, put it upon this : say they,
ha raised up himself by his own power; that is the gloss they put upon it;
therefore he was declared to be the Son of God, because he raised up himself.
And indeed it is a strong argument, that he was the Son of God with power, if
he raised up himself.
But you will say, How doth that prove it?
It
proveth it thus : suppose there had been no more in his own resurrection than
in any man's else, yet because he raised up himself, it was declared with power
that he was the Son of God.
But how might that appear to the Jews that he
was the Son of God? Why might not the Jews think that Christ had been raised up
by the power of God, as Lazarus had been raised up, or those in the Old
Testament had been raised up? How doth it prove that he is the Son of God in
his resurrection, more than in anything else? And how doth it appear that he
raised up himself as the Son of God?
I will shew you how it appeareth. He
had said before, he had given it out, it was that he died for, he had told them
that he was the Son of God; and the witnesses brought in this witness, that
they heard him say, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will build it
again.' Now if he had lied, if he had not been the Son of God, God would never
have raised him up; therefore it was a manifest argument that he was the Son of
God, by his being raised up again; and being the Son of God, raised up himself
by that power that is in God himself. Therefore, in John ii. 19, saith he,
'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up;' and John x. 18, 'I
have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again.' Had he
lied, had he not been the Son of God, certainly God would never have raised him
up; therefore seeing he was raised up by God, certainly he was the Son of
God.
But yet still the objection remaineth; for you will say, though he was
declared to be the Son of God by being raised up again, he having given it out,
which is all that interpreters put upon that place; but yet what special power
was there put forth in his resurrection, more than in any man's else, that he
should be said to be declared to be the Son of God with power by his
resurrection, and that God should shew forth the exceeding greatness of his
power in raising of him up! That is the thing I am to speak to. To that I will
but suggest two things unto you, wherein the power lay of raising up Christ
from death unto life; and a special power, more than in raising up all men else
besides, that were before him, or shall come after him.
My brethren, our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ undertook never to rise or enter into his glory
till such time as he had satisfied for the sins of all his elect; they lay all
upon him; therefore to raise him up from death to glory must needs be a work of
a greater power than ever yet was to raise up any man, whatsoever he were; for
he had all the sins of all the elect, that he was to satisfy for, meeting in
him.
My brethren, let me speak unto you. We are dead in sins and
trespasses; but let me tell you this, he was to cUe for sins and trespasses,
that is the phrase the Apostle useth, Rom. vi. 10. We read it, 'He died unto
sin,' or, 'He died for sin,' the word will bear it. He was by his death to
satisfy for sin, or he must never rise again.
Now then, take Jesus Christ
not only as an ordinary man, but take him as he is made sin, as he is made a
curse, there must a mighty power go to bring him to glory; for he must suffer
for that first, he must have a power to endure that first before he be capable
of being raised up again; which all angels and men could never have borne;
therefore there is so great a power declared in his rising again.
In Rom.
iv. 24, 25, 'We believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who
was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.'
Mark that; the resurrection of Christ was not an ordinary resurrection, for it
was not an ordinary death: for, saith he, when he died he was delivered for our
offences, and he must satisfy for them by his death; and when he was raised
again, he was not raised as a particular person, it is not like the raising up
of an ordinary man; but, saith he, he was raised for our justiifcation, for the
justification of all that he died for, and therefore he must satisfy for sin,
and pay the uttermost farthing before he rise again. Hence now cometh there to
be so great a difficulty in raising up our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to
that glory he was raised up unto.
I will omit some confirmations of this
truth, and give you but one scripture, which will present it unto you. It is
Acts ii. 24, 'Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death;
because it was not possible he should be holden of it.' It is Peter's speech
concerning Christ and his resurrection. And, ver. 27, 'Because thou wilt not
leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see
corruption.'
To open these words, and to prove the thing out of them which
I intend viz., That in raising up Jesus Christ from the dead there was an
infinite power put forth, more than in raising up any one that ever yet was
raised up. The Apostle's scope here is to prove that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God, and he proveth it by his resurrection, and by the difficulty that was in
it, which is implied in these words, 'Because it was not possible he should be
holden of death,' or of 'the sorrows of death.' If it had been possible, they
would have held him, but it was not possible; there was so mighty a power came
to have his mittimus, that though they put forth all the power they
could, yet it was not possible they should hold him.
Now, to open the words
a little unto you, I will give you what I think to be the sense of the place.
The difficulty of raising up of Christ lieth. in these words, that first the
pains of death were to be loosed. They are as Beza and others, and I find that
Zanchy ran the same way. The meaning of them is this: God raised him up, say
they, being loosed; it is not the pains of death being loosed, but him being
loosed. He ascribeth that to the pains of death which properly belongeth to
Christ; be was freed from the pains of death, and then God raised him up. As in
the gospel it is said, 'his leprosy was cleansed;' that is not a proper speech,
but 'he was cleansed of his leprosy:' so here, having 'loosed the pains of
death ' - that is, he was loosed frons the pains of death, he had scattered, he
had dissipated all the pains of death, and then he was loosed, and he was
raised.
Now, what is meant by the pains of death here? Let us examine that
a little, for, if you mark it, the difficulty of his resurrection lies in the
pains of death. After Christ was in the grave, - consider what I say, - there
were no pains of death that held him, he had no pains in the grave after he was
dead. What pains are they, then, that are here called the pains of death, which
he was freed from, and then God raised him up, upon which he putteth the
difficulty of his resurrection?
The word in the Greek, is the birth-throes
of death. Isa. lin. 11 interpreteth it well; 'He shall see,' saith be, 'of the
travail of his soul' They were the birth-throes which his soul had, which he
must be loosed from and overcome, before he is capable to be raised up by God.
It is not an ordinary death he is to undergo, or ordinary sorrows of death that
hinder his resurrection, but there are the birth-throes of death to be
overcome. What are those birth-throes of death? The travail of his soul. All
our sins met in him, and the chastisement of our peace was upon him, as you
have it in the 5th and 6th verses of the same Isa. liii. All those pangs that
were in his soul - they tended to death, they would have carried his soul to
hell, kept him from ever rising again; he had never come to glory; therefore
they are called the pains of death - held him: yea, they would have held his
soul had he not been God; had not God upheld him, they would have carried his
soul instantly away, and held him from ever being capable of rising up again.
Therefore, before he be capable of being raised, he must be freed from these
pains of death; therein lieth the difficulty of his resurrection.
They are
called the 'sorrows of death' too; not only of the first death, but of the
second. I do not say he died the second death, the Scripture doth not say so.
But that the sorrows of the second death took hold upon him, and upon his soul,
to me is a certain truth. 'My soul,' saith he, he points to what was it, 'is
heavy unto death;' he doth not say, My soul dieth, but it is heavy unto the
death; it was at the point of death, when our sins and the wrath of God came in
upon him.
In Isa. liii. you have his deaths mentioned, - look into your
margins, - not death only, but deaths; and in Heb. ii. 4, it is said, 'he
tasted of death.' What death? It appeareth by the following verses, that death
which the devil hath power of; he tasted of it, but he was not overcome by it,
that is the second death. It is that death which men are afraid of all their
life long, which the Jews were afraid of: read the 9th, 14th, and 15th verses
of that second to the Hebrews; and that was the second death.
Now, my
brethren, in this death, and the pains of it, lieth the danger that Christ
should never be raised up again, should never come to heaven; for those pains
of death would have fetched his soul away, and made all angels and men to have
died the second death, never to have been raised, never to satisfy the wrath of
God. They were sorrows of death; deadly sorrows, as some interpret it, as he
himself is called a man of sorrows, which is attributed to none but to him,
because none endured the sorrows he did, deadly sorrows: as it is called the
'abomination of desolation,' that is, abominable desolation; so the sorrows of
death, that is, deadly sorrows, hellish sorrows, infernal sorrows, if you will
so express it; for there was the cause of it, the wrath of God; there was the
substance of it.
Now, in a word, to gather up this. Saith he, God hath
raised him up, he being free, or having freed himself by the power of the
Godhead from these pains of death, which, if it had been possible, he should
have been held by them, but hold him they could not; therefore the words in the
27th verse interpret it without all straining. There is a great deal of do what
should be meant by 'leaving his soul in hell,' and his 'Holy One not to see
corruption,' that is, his body. Say I, the 24th verse interpreteth it, 'him
hath God raised up,' being freed from the sorrows of death, of the second
death, the birth-throes of it; God delivered his soul of it, left not his soul
in hell; then he raised up his body that it should not see corruption. Herein
now lieth the difficulty of raising up our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, more
than all the men in the world; for if all the angels in heaven, and all the men
in the world, had encountered with those sorrows of death he encountered with,
they had never been raised up, for they could never have overcome them.
Therefore saith the text here, the 'exceeding greatness of his power' was shewn
in raising up Christ from death to glory.
And this is one sense in respect
of which there is an exceeding greatness of power attributed to the
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
But, secondly, if you will know wherein the
exceeding greatness of power lieth, - if you observe the coherence, - it is not
only in raising him up simply from death, there is but a little said of that
here, but it is attributed to the glory he was raised up to. Therein lay the
power; it lies not simply in the terminus a quo, the term, the state
from which he was raised; bnt if you take in withal this, that God hath 'set
him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principalities
and powers;' take but the compass of the distance between the state he was
raised from, and the state he is raised unto, and then you will all acknowledge
what the text saith here, there is an exceeding greatness of power indeed.
So that if you ask me now, What this power was that was shewn upon Christ?
I answer, first, merely in his raising him up; for he was to overcome that
which no creature could overcome, before he was capable of being raised; he was
to pay the last farthing, whereof the sorrows of death were part, and the
greatest sins.
And then, secondly, if to raise him up merely had been no
more than to raise another man, yet to raise him up to glory, there lieth the
exceeding greatness of his power. Take the terminus ad quemn, the state
wherein he is now. Eph. iv. 9, 'He that ascended, he descended first into the
lower parts of the earth.'
Now then, go and make a pair of compasses, make
a proportion between these two; put one foot of the compass in heaven, whither
he is ascended, far above all principalities and powers, and put the other foot
of the compass in the lower parts of the earth, in the grave in which he lay;
and to raise him up from the one to the other is the exceeding greatness of
power the Apostle here speaks of. Measure from the lowest part of the earth, to
far above all principalities and powers, and therein lieth the power put forth
in raising Christ here spoken of.
Now I have shewn you wherein the power of
raising up Christ lieth; that is the first thing. The second thing I should
shew you is this: That to bring a sinner from the death of sin to live again, -
Christ lay under the guilt of sin imputed to him, we lie under the power and
guilt too, - to raise up a sinner from this, 'we who were dead in sins and
trespasses,' and place us in heaven with Christ, holdeth a proportion with the
resurrection, and with the power put forth in raising up Christ from death to
glory.
This is the second thing I should shew to make up the parallel.
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