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THese are the words of our blessed Saviour, which he spake unto his Apostles and Disciples, when af∣ter his Resurrection he was ready to as∣cend into Heaven; for they pre-suppose Man's Sin, Christ's Suffering, and his Re∣surrection; Man by sin had made himself miserable, and liable to temporal and eternal death; yet God was willing to de∣liver him: Sin and Satan cast him down,
yet God in his abundant mercy was pleased to raise him up again. The way which his eternal Wisdom had contrived to effect this great deliverance was strange & won∣derful; his only begotten Son, even that word which was God, and by which he made the world must be made flesh, and as∣sume the nature of man, and in that na∣ture must take upon him the form of a ser∣vant, be obedient unto death, the death of the Cross, rise again, and be advanced to the highest pitch of glory: so that the means of mans salvation are the humiliati∣on and exaltation of the Son of God. By his humiliation and sacrifice of himself he expiates mans sin, satisfies Divine Justice, and merits all mercies and blessings neces∣sary for the full and eternal happiness of man. By his exaltation he makes his suffer∣ings effectual, and communicates the be∣nefits he had merited; for we read, That he was delivered for our offences, and was rai∣sed again for our justification, Rom. 4. 25. To be delivered for our offences was his humi∣liation unto death for our sins, to render them pardonable. To be raised again for our justification, was his exaltation for the obtaining of actual remission: his humi∣liation begins, his exaltation consummates
our salvation. For being advanced to the right hand of his Father, he sends down the Holy Ghost, reveals the Gospel, causeth it to be preached to all Nations, and by his Word and Spirit converts man, and plants the heavenly vertue of Faith in his heart; and upon Conversion and Faith makes in∣tercession in Heaven, and procures his actual pardon, reconciliation with his God; and in the end the enjoyment of eternal glory: so that without his humiliation man is not savable, and without his exaltation he is not actually saved. And thus we must understand that of the same Apostle; For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled shall we be saved by his life, Rom. 5. 10. where we must observe, That the death of Christ is his humiliation, his life is his ex∣altation. 2. That reconciliation is ascribed to his death, salvation to his life. For the Death and Blood of Christ was the propi∣tiation for our sins, and the foundation of our reconciliation: the life and exaltation of Christ by his Word and Spirit convert∣ing us, and making intercession for us, is the cause of actual salvation.
As in the two former Chapters
we may read of Christs suffering, death, and humiliation, whereby he mirited in∣comparable mercies and blessings; so in this we read of his resurrection, and the manner how he will apply and communi∣cate his blessings, and that is by a commis∣sion and power received, and a commis∣sion and power given; for the subject of the words are a two-fold commission.
The first granted by God to Christ, The second by Christ to his Apostles.
These agree in some things, differ in others. 1. They agree as commissions giving great power. 2. As expressing an unspeakable love unto, and a tender care of sinful man. 3▪ As issuing from the su∣pream and universal Lord. 4. As tending to the same end, mans eternal salvation: yet they differ in these things. 1. The former commission is granted by God immediately to Christ; the latter is granted from God by Christ unto the Apostles. 2. The former is the cause of the latter, the latter an effect of the former. 3. By the former Christ receives an universal power in hea∣ven and earth; and by the latter the Apo∣stles receive only a limited power on earth.
I will not say much of the first commissi∣on expressed in these words, Ver. 18. All power in heaven and earth is given unto me. Wherein he signifies that he had large power, and it was given him; where we must consider, 1. Power given. 2. The par∣ty to whom it was given. 3. The donor, or the Donation of it from the Donour.
In the power we may observe, 1. The nature and quality of it. 2. The measure of it.
1. For the nature and quality of it, it is spiritual and divine; for Christ said, My kingdom is not of this world, John 18. 36. That is, its no secular power like that of the Princes of the world; its far more excellent and above it in respect of the subjects, the laws, the judgments, the end thereof. The subjects besides Angels are men considered in a spiritual notion, and as capable of an eternal estate. The Laws also are spiritual, and bind not only Angels, but the immor∣tal souls and consciences of men. Such are the judgments which determine and accord not only temporal but eternal punishments and rewards. The end in respect of all loyal and obedient subjects, is eternal peace and felicity: for God gave
Christ power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as he had given him, John 17. 2.
2. The measure of this power is exten∣sive, and intensive. Extensive in respect of the territory which is very large, even the whole world; whereof there be two parts, heaven and earth; so that it extends to all places, and all things, and so is universal; yet the principal subjects are Angels in hea∣ven, and men on earth, both intellectual and immortal creatures. Intensive: for its (all) power; one may have some power, or all power on earth, and none in heaven, or some, or all power in heaven, and none on earth; but this is all power in heaven, all power on earth, all power on both; so that Christ is over all persons, in all causes supream Governour, without any created superiour, without any competitour, with∣out any partner; its all in the highest de∣gree invested and inherent in one. This is concernig the power.
2. The person invested with it is Christ; For all power (saith he) is given to me: it was not given to any Angel, or Angels, nor to any Monarch, or Monarchs of the world, but to Jesus of Nazareth, a man nearer to God then any of the Princes of the earth,
or any Principalities and Powers of hea∣ven; one more beloved of God, and who had done a greater service than any other; for he had humbled himself at his Fathers command so low as to be a servant, and a servant obedient unto the death of the Cross; therefore he, and none other, was thus highly exalted, and received a name above every name.
3. The Donour was God the Father. As none but Christ was capable, none was worthy of this transcendent power, ac∣cording to that universal acknowledgment of Saints and Angels; Rev. 5, 10. The Lamb slain was worthy to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And as he was only worthy, so God his Father alone was able to give so great power: for it was given; which implies, that Christ as man had it not of himself: it was not an original and primitive, but a delegate and derivative power. 2. He was no usurper, he did not glorifie himself; he had a fair and clear title by donation from the universal, supream, and eternal Soveraign, who might justly dispose of it as he pleased; he was de∣creed to this place from of old, designed to it from his Birth and Conception, and
began to act in it after his Baptism. But upon his resurrection he was declared more solemnly to be King and Priest. The words of the decree and patent were these, Psal. 2. 7, 8. Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee: for then God set him his King upon his holy hill of Zion, & gave him the hea∣then for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession. And as by these words he was made King, so by the same he was made Priest: for so we read, Heb. 5. 5. He glorified not himself, nor took upon him to be high Priest, but he was made such by him who said, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. This day is the day of resur∣rection; and for God to beget him that day, was not only to raise him from the dead, but to create him universal King and Priest: When he was ascended into heaven, he was set at the right hand of God, took more full possession of his Kingdom, and by oath was confirmed an eternal Priest▪ and from that time began to exercise his universal power, to command the Angels, and to rule over men.
The end wby Christ signified unto them the receiving of this power, was, 1. To let them know that now in part he had re∣ceived
his glorious reward for his deep hu∣miliation, and great service performed up∣on the Cross, and the time of his full glo∣rification was at hand; and that suffering was the way to glory. 2. That he had full power to grant them a large commission; and therefore as his Father sent him, so he sends them: and as he could, so he would make good whatsoever they did according to this patent: for upon this universal pow∣er received by Christ depends the ministry of the Gospel: and the efficacy of Word and Sacraments, which must continue unto the worlds end: and by vertue thereof, the Apostles and their successours, shut and open the gates of heaven; and what they bind or loose on earth, is ratified in hea∣ven: and this is the great comfort to the universal Church, and especially to the Mi∣nisters thereof, that the blessed Lord and Saviour who hath made so many and great promises, is enabled by this great power to make them all good.