Flavel, Fountain of Life, File 6.
( ...continued from File 5)
Sermon 6. Of the Authority by which Christ, as Mediator, acted.
John 6: 27
For him hath God the Father sealed.
You have heard Christ's compact, or agreement with the Father,
in the covenant of redemption; as also what the Father did, in
pursuance of the ends thereof, in giving his Son out of his bosom,
&c. Also what the Son has done towards it, in assuming flesh. But
though the glorious work be thus far advanced, yet all he should act
in that assumed body, had been invalid and vain, without a due call,
and commission from the Father, so to do: which is the import of the
words now before you.
This scripture is a part of Christ's excellent reply to a self-
ended generation, who followed him, not for any spiritual
excellencies that they saw in him, or soul-advantages they expected
by him, but for bread. Instead of making his service their treat and
drink, they only served him, that they might eat and drink. Self is
a thing may creep into the best hearts and actions; but it only
predominates in the hypocrite. These people had sought Christ from
place to place, and having at last found him, they salute him with
an impertinent compliment, "Rabbi, whence camest thou hither?" verse
25. Christ's reply is partly dissuasive, and partly directive. He
dissuades them from putting the secondary and subordinate, in the
place of the principal and ultimate end; not to prefer their bodies
to their souls, their fleshly accommodations to the glory of God.
"Labour not for the meat that perisheth." Wherein he does not take
them off from their lawful labours and callings; but he dissuades
them, first, from minding those things too intently: and, secondly,
he dissuades then from that odious sin of making religion but a
pretence for the belly.
And it is partly directive, and that in the main end and
business of life. "But labour for that meat which endureth to
eternal life;" to get bread for your souls to live eternally by.
And, that he might engage their diligence in seeking it to purpose,
he shows them not only where they may have it, ["which the Son of
man shall give you"] but also how they may be fully satisfied, that
he has it for them, in the clause I have pitched on; "For him has
God the Father sealed."
In these words are three parts observable.
1. The Person sealing or investing Christ with authority and
power; which is said to be God the Father. Though all the persons in
the Godhead are equal in nature, dignity and power, yet in their
operation there is an order observed among them; the Father sends
the Son, the Son is sent by the Father, the Holy Ghost is sent by
both.
2. The subject in which God the Father lodges this authority,
[Him] that is, the Son of man. Jesus Christ, he is the "proton
dektikon" the first receptacle of it, and he must here be understood
exclusively. God the Father has so sealed him, as he never sealed
any other before him, or that shall arise after him. No name is
given in heaven, or earth, but this name by which we are saved, Acts
4: 12. "The government is upon his shoulders," Isa. 9.
3. Here is farther observable, the way and manner of the
Father's delegating and committing this authority to Christ; and
that is, by sealing him. Where we have both a metonymy, the symbol
of authority being put for the authority itself, and a metaphor,
sealing, which is a human act, for the ratifying and confirming an
instrument, or grant, being here applied to God. Like as princes, by
sealed credentials, confirm the authority of those that are sent by
them; as the Dutch Annotators well express the meaning of it. Hence
we note,
Doct. That Jesus Christ did not of himself undertake the work
of our redemption, but was solemnly sealed unto that work by God the
Father.
When I say, he did not of himself undertake this work, I mean
not that he was unwilling to go about it, for his heart was as fully
and ardently engaged in it, as the Father's was: so he tells us,
Psal. 40: 7. "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God; thy law is in my
heart." But the meaning is, he came not without a due call, and full
commission from his Father. And so it is to be understood in
opposition to intrusion, not voluntary susception; and this is the
meaning of that scripture, John 8: 24. "I proceeded and came from
God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me." And this the apostle
plainly expresseth, and fully clear; Heb. 5: 4, 5 "And no man taketh
this honour to himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron:
so also, Christ glorified not himself to be made an High-priest; but
he that said unto him, Thou art my Son." And on the account of these
sealed credentials, he received from the Father, he is called the
Apostle and High-priest of our profession, Heb. 3: 1: i. e. one
called and sent forth by the Father's authority. Our present
business, then, is to open Christ's commission, and to view the
great seal of heaven by which it was ratified.
And, to preserve a clear method in the explication of this
great truth, into which your faith and comfort is resolved, I shall,
First, Show what was the work and office to which the Father
sealed him.
Secondly, What his sealing to this work does imply.
Thirdly, How, and by what acts, the Father sealed him to it.
Fourthly, Why it was necessary that he should be thus sealed
and authorised by his Father; and then improve it in its proper
uses.
First, What was that office, or work, to which his Father
sealed him? I answer, more generally, he was sealed to the whole
work of mediation for us, thereby to recover and save all the elect,
whom the Father had given him; so John 17: 2 "It was to give eternal
life to as many as were given him": it was to "bring Jacob again to
him," Isa. 49: 5, or as the apostle expresses it, 1 Pet. 3: 18 "That
he might bring us to God." More particularly, in order to the sure,
and full effecting of this most glorious design, he was sealed to
the offices of a Prophet, Priest, and King, that so he might bring
about and compass this work.
1. God sealed him a commission to preach the glad tidings of
salvation to sinners. This commission Christ opened and read in the
audience of the people, Luke 4: 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. "And when he had
opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit
of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the
gospel to the poor, he has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to
preach deliverance to the captives, and the recovering of sight to
the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised; to preach the
acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, &c. And he
began to say unto them, this day is this scripture fulfilled in your
ears."
2. He also sealed him to the priesthood, and that the most
excellent; authorising him to execute both the parts of it, viz.
oblatory and intercessory. He called him to offer up himself a
sacrifice for us. "I have power (saith he) to lay down my life, this
commandment have I received of my Father," John 10: 18. And upon
that account, his offering up of his blood is, by the apostle,
stiled an act of obedience, as it is, Phil. 2: 8. "He became
obedient unto death." He also called him to intercede for us; Heb.
7: 21, 24, 25. "These priests were made without an oath; but this
with an oath; by him that said unto him, The Lord sware, and will
not repent, thou art a priest for ever:" because his sacrifice is
virtually continued, in his living for ever to make intercession, as
it is, verse 24. Yea,
3. He called him to his regal office; he was set upon the
highest throne of authority by his Father's commission, as it is,
Matth. 28: 18. "All power in heaven and earth is given to me." To
all this was Christ sealed and authorised by his Father.
Secondly, What does the Father's scaling of Christ to this work
and office imply? There are divers things implied in it: As,
1. The validity and efficacy of all his mediatory acts. For, by
virtue of this his sealing whatever he did was fully ratified. And
in this very thing lies much of a believer's comfort and security,
forasmuch as all acts done without commission and authority (how
great, or able soever the person that does them is, yet) are in
themselves null and void. But what is done by commission and
authority, is authentic, and most allowable among men. Had Christ
come from heaven, and entered upon his mediatory work without a due
call, our faith had been stumbled at the very threshold; but this
greatly satisfies.
2. It imports the great obligation lying upon Jesus Christ to
be faithful in the work he was sealed to: for, the Father, in this
commission, devolves a great trust upon him, and relies upon him for
his most faithful discharge thereof. And, indeed, upon this very
account Christ reckons himself specially obliged to pursue the
Father's design and end, John 9: 4. "I must work the works of him
that sent me". And John 5: 30. "I seek not mine own will, but the
will of the Father which has sent me." Still his eye is upon that
work and will of his Father. And he reckons himself under a
necessity of punctual and precise obedience to it; and, as a
faithful servant, will have his own will swallowed up in his
Father's will.
3. It imports Christ's complete qualification, or instrumental
fitness to serve the Father's design and end of our recovery. Had
not God known him to be every way fit, and qualified for the work,
he would never have sealed him a commission for it. Men may, but God
will not seal an unfit, or incapable person, for his work. And,
indeed, whatever is desirable in a servant, was eminently found in
Christ: for faithfulness, none like him. Moses indeed was faithful
to a pin, but still as a servant: but Christ as a Son, Heb. 3: 2. He
is the faithful and true witness, Rev. 1: 5. For zeal, none like
him. The zeal of God's house did eat him up, John 2: 16, 17. He was
so intent upon his Fathers works that he forgot to eat bread,
counting his work his meat and drink, John 4: 32. Yea, and love to
his Father carried him on through all his work, and made him delight
in the hardest piece of his service; for he served him as a Son,
Heb. 3: 5, 6. All that ever he did was done in love. For wisdom,
none like him. The Father knew him to be most wise, and said of him
before he was employed, "Behold my servant shall deal prudently,"
Isa. 52: 13. To conclude, for self-denial, never any like him; he
sought not his own glory, but the glory of him that sent him, John
8: 50. Had he not been thus faithful, zealous, full of love,
prudent, and self-denying, he had never been employed in this great
affair.
4. It implies Christ's sole authority in the church, to appoint
and enjoin what he pleaseth; and this is his peculiar prerogative.
For, the commission God sealed him in the text, is a single, not a
joint commission; he has sealed him, and none beside him. Indeed
there were some that pretended a call and commission from God; but
all that were before him were thieves and robbers, that came not in
at the door, as he did, John 10: 8. And he himself foretells, that
after him some should arise, and labour to deceive the world with a
feigned commission, and a counterfeit seal, Matth. 24: 24. "There
shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great
signs and wonders: insomuch, that if it were possible, they should
deceive the very elect." But God never commissioned any besides him,
neither is there any other name under heaven, Acts 4: 12. Thus you
see how the validity of his acts, his obligation to be faithful, his
complete qualifications, and sole authority in the church, are
imported in his sealing.
Thirdly, Let us enquire how God the Father sealed Jesus Christ
to this work, and we shall find that he was sealed by four acts of
the Father.
1. By solemn designation to this work. He singled him out and
set him apart for it: and therefore the prophet Isaiah, chap. 42: 1.
calls him God's elect. And the apostle Peter, 1 Pet. 2: 4. Chosen of
God. This word which we render Elect, does not only signify one that
in himself is eximious, worthy, and excellent, but also one that is
set apart and designed, as Christ was, for the work of mediation.
And so much is included in Johns 10: 36. where the Father is said to
sanctify him, i. e. to separate, and devote him to this service.
2. He was sealed, not only by solemn designation, but also
supereminent and unparalleled sanctification. He was anointed, as
well as appointed to it. The Lord filled him with the Spirit, and
that without measure, to qualify him for this service. So Isa. 61:
1, 2, 3 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed
me to preach," &c. Yea, the Spirit of the Lord was not only upon
him, but he was full of the Spirit, Luke 4: 1. and so full as was
never any beside him, for God "anointed him with the oil of
gladness, above his fellows," Psalm 45: 7. Believers are his
fellows, or co-partners of this Spirit; they have an anointing also,
but not as Christ had; in him it dwelt in its fulness, in them
according to measure. It was poured out on Christ, our Head,
abundantly, and ran down to the hem of his garment. "God gave not
the Spirit to him by measure," John 3: 34. God filled Christ's human
nature, to the utmost capacity, with all fulness of the Spirit of
knowledge, wisdom, love, &c. beyond all creatures for the plenary
and more effectual administration of his mediator chip: he was full
extensively, with all kinds of grace; and full intensively, with all
degrees of grace. "It pleased the Father that in him should all
fulness dwell, Col. 1: 19. as light in the sun, or water in a
fountain, that he might not only fill all things, as the apostle
speaks, Eph 1: 22. but that he might be prompt, expedite, and every
way fit to discharge his own work, which was the next and immediate
end of it: so that the holy oil that was poured out upon the head of
kings and priests, whereby they were consecrated to their offices,
was but typical of the Spirit, by which Christ was consecrated, or
sealed, to his offices.
3. Christ was sealed by the Father's immediate testimony from
heaven, whereby he was declared to be the person whom the Father had
solemnly designed and appointed to his work. And God gave this
extraordinary testimony of him at two remarkable seasons, the one
was just at his entrance on his public ministry, Mat. 3, and the
other but a little before his sufferings, Matth. 17: 5. This voice
was not formed by such organs and instruments of speech, as ours
are, but by creating a voice in the air which the people heard
sounding therein: by this God owned, approved, and as by a seal
ratified his work.
4. Christ was sealed by the Father, in all those extraordinary
miraculous works wrought by him, in which the Father gave yet more
full and convincing testimonies to the world, that this was he whom
he had appointed to be our Mediator. These were convictive to the
world, that God had sent him, and that his doctrine was of God. "God
anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and power, who went
about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil;
for God was with him," Acts 10: 38. And so, John 5: 36. "I have a
greater witness than that of John; for the works which the Father
has given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of
me, that the Father has sent me." Therefore he still referred those
that doubted of him, or of his doctrine, to the seal of his Father,
even the miraculous works he wrought in the power of God, Matth. 11:
3, 4, 5. And thus the Father sealed him.
Fourthly and lastly, We will enquire why it was necessary
Christ should be sealed by his Father to this work: and there are
these three weighty reasons for it.
1. Else he had not corresponded with the types which prefigured
him, and in him it was necessary that they should be all
accomplished. You know, under the Law, the kings and high priests
had their inaugurations by solemn unctions; in all which this
consecration, or sealing of Christ to his work, was shadowed out:
and therefore you shall find, Heb. 5: 4, 5. "No man taketh this
honour to himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron:" so
also (mark the necessary correspondence betwixt Christ and them)
"Christ glorified not himself to be made an High Priest; but he that
said unto him, Thou art my Son."
2. Moreover, here the hearts of believers are the more engaged
to love the Father, inasmuch as it appears hereby that the Father's
love, and good will to them, was the original and spring of their
redemption. For had not the Father sealed him such a commission, he
had not come; but now he comes in the Father's name, and in the
Father's love, as well as his name; and so all men are bound to
ascribe equal glory and honour to them both, as it is, John 5: 23.
3. And especially Christ would not come without a commission,
because, else you had no ground for your faith in him. How should we
have been satisfied that this is indeed the true Messiah, except he
had opened his commission to the world, and shewed his Father's seal
annexed to it? If he had come without his credentials from heaven,
and only told the world that God had sent him, and that they must
take his bare word for it, who could have rested his faith on that
testimony? And that is the true meaning of that place, John 5: 31.
"If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true." How so? You
will say, does not that contradict what he said, John 8: 14. "Though
I bear record of myself, yet my record is true." Therefore you must
understand truth, not as it is opposed to reality; but the meaning
is, if I had only given you my bare word for it, and not brought
other evidence from my Father, my testimony had not been authentic
and valid, according to human laws; but now all doubtings are
precluded. Let us next improve this.
Inf. 1. Hence we infer the unreasonableness of infidelity, and
how little rejecters of Christ can have to pretend for their so
doing. You see he has opened his commission in the gospel, shown the
world his Father's hand and seal to it, given as ample satisfaction
as reason itself could desire, or expect; yet even his own received
him not; John 1: 11. And he knew it before hand, and therefore
complained by the prophet, Isa. 53: 1. "Who has believed our
report?" &c. Yea, and that he is believed on in the world, is by the
apostle put among the great mysteries of godliness, 1 Tim. 3: 16. A
man that well considers with what convincing evidence Christ comes,
would rather think it a mystery, that any should not believe. But,
Oh the brutish obstinacy, and devilish enmity, that is in nature to
Jesus Christ! Devilish did I say? You must give me that word again,
for he compelled the devil's assent; "We know thee, whom thou art."
And it is equally as wonderful to see the facility that is in nature
to comply (meanwhile) with any, even the most foolish imposture. Let
a false Christ arise, and he shall deceive many, as it is, Matth.
24: 24. Of this Christ complains, and not without great reason, John
5:43, "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: If
another come in his own name, him will ye receive," q. d. You are
incredulous to none but me: every deceiver, every pitiful cheat,
that has but wit, or rather wickedness, enough to tell you the Lord
has sent him, though you must take his own single word for it, he
shall obtain and get disciples; but though I come in my Father's
name, i. e. shewing you a commission signed and sealed by him, doing
those works which none but a God can do, yet ye receive me not. But
in all this, we must adore the justice of God, permitting it to be
so, giving men up to such unreasonable obstinacy and hardness. It is
a sore plague that lies upon the world, and a wonder that we all are
not engulfed in the same infidelity.
Inf 2. If Christ was sealed to his work by his Father, then how
great is the sin of those that reject and despise such as are sent
and sealed by Jesus Christ? For look, as he came to us in his
Father's name, so he has sent forth, by the same authority,
ministers in his name; and as he acts in his Father's, so they in
his, authority. "As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I
also sent them into the world," John 17: 18. And so, John 20: 21.
"As my Father has sent me, so have I sent you." You may think it a
small matter to despise or reject a minister of Christ, (a sin, in
the guilt whereof, I think no age has been plunged deeper than
this;) but hear, and let it be a warning to you for ever: in so
doing you despise, and put the slight both upon the Father that sent
Jesus, and upon Christ that sent them: so that it is a rebellion,
that however it seems to begin low in some small piques against
their persons, or some little quarrels at their parts and utterance,
tones, methods or gestures; yet it runs high, even to the
fountain-head of the most supreme authority. You that set yourselves
against a minister of Christ, set yourselves against God the Father,
and God the Son; Luke 10: 16. "He that heareth you, heareth me; and
he that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me,
despiseth him that sent me." God expects that you behave yourselves,
under the word spoken by us, as if he himself spake it; yea, he
expects submission to his word in the mouths of his ministers from
the greatest on earth. And therefore it was that God so severely
punished Zedekiah, "because he humbled not himself before Jeremiah
the prophet, speaking from the mouth of the Lord," 2 Chron. 36: 12.
God was angry with a great king for not humbling himself before a
poor prophet. Yet here you must distinguish both of Persons, and of
Acts. This reverence and submission is not due to them as men, but
as men in office, as Christ's ambassadors; and must involve that
respect still in it. Again, we owe it not to them, commanding or
forbidding in their own names, but in Christ's, not inventing their
own spleen, but the terrors of the Lord; and then to resist is a
high rebellion and affront to the sovereign authority of heaven.
And, by the way, this may instruct ministers, that the way to
maintain that veneration and respect that is due to them, in the
consciences of their hearers, is by keeping close to their
commission.
Inf. 3. Hence also we infer, how great an evil it is to intrude
into the office of the ministry without a due call. It is more than
Christ himself would do; he glorified not himself: the honours and
advantages attending that office, have invited many, to run before
they were sent. But surely this is an insufferable violation of
Christ's order. Our age has abounded with as many church-levellers
as state-levellers. I wish the ministers of Christ might at last see
and consider, what they were once warned of by a faithful watchman:
'I believe (saith he) God has permitted so many to intrude into the
ministers' calling, because ministers have too much meddled with,
and intruded into other men's callings.'
Inf. 4. Hence be convinced of the great efficacy that is in all
gospel ordinances duly administered: For Christ having received full
commission from his Father, and by virtue thereof having instituted
and appointed these ordinances in the church, all the power in
heaven is engaged to make them good, to back and second them, to
confirm and ratify them. Hence, in the censures of the church, you
have that great expression, Matth. 18: 18. "Whatsoever ye bind or
loose on earth, shall he bound or loosed in heaven." And so, for the
word and sacraments, Matth. 18: 18, 19, 20. "All power in heaven and
earth is given unto me: Go therefore, &c. They are not the
appointments of men; your faith stands not in the wisdom of men, but
in the power of God. That very power, God the Father committed to
Christ, is the fountain whence all gospel institutions flow. And he
has promised to be with his officers, not only the extraordinary
officers of that age, but with his ministers, in succeeding ages, to
the end of the world. O therefore, when we come to an ordinance,
come not with slight thoughts, but with great reverence, and great
expectations, remembering Christ is there to make all good.
Inf. 5. Again, here you have another call to admire the grace
and love, both of the Father and Son to your souls: It is not lawful
to compare them, but it is duty to admire them. Was it not wonderful
grace in the Father to seal a commission for the death of his Son,
for the humbling him as low as hell, and in that method to save you,
when you might have expected he should have sealed your Mittimus for
hell, rather than a commission for your salvation? He might rather
have set his irreversible seal to the sentence of your damnation,
than to a commission for his Son's humiliation for you. And no less
is the love of Christ to be wondered at, that would accept such a
commission, as this for us, and receive this seal, understanding
fully (as he did) what were the contents of that commission, that
the Father delivered him thus sealed, and knowing that there could
be no reversing of it afterwards.
O then, love the Lord Jesus, all ye his saints, for still you
see more and more of his love breaking out upon you. I commend to
you a sealed Saviour this day; O that every one that reads these
lines might, in a pang of love, cry out with the enamoured spouse,
Cant. 8: 6. "Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy
arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave;
the coals thereof are coals of fire, which have a most vehement
flame."
Inf. 6. Once more; Has God sealed Christ for you? Then draw
forth the comfort of his sealing for you, and be restless till ye
also be sealed by him.
1. Draw out the comfort of Christ's sealing for you. Remember
that hereby God stands engaged, even by his own seal, to allow and
confirm whatever Christ has done in the business of our salvation.
And on this ground you may thus plead with God: Lord, thou hast
sealed Christ to this office, and therefore I depend upon it, that
thou allowest all that he has done, and all that he has suffered for
me, and wilt make good all that he has promised me. If men will not
deny their own seals, much less wilt thou.
2. Get your interest in Christ sealed to you by the Spirit,
else you cannot have the comfort of Christ's being sealed for you.
Now the Spirit seals two ways, Objectively and Effectually; the
first is by working those graces in us, which are the conditions of
the promises: the latter is by shining upon his own work, and
helping the soul to discern it, which follows the other, both in
order of nature, and of time. And these sealings of the Spirit are
to be distinguished, both ex parte subjecti, or the quality of the
person sealed, which always is a believer, Eph. 1: 13. for there can
be no reflex, till there have been a direct Act of faith; and ex
parte materiae, by the matter of which that comfort is made: which
if it be of the Spirit, is ever consonant to the written word, Isa.
8: 20. And partly ab effectis, by its effects: for it commonly
produces in the sealed soul, great care and caution to avoid sin,
Eph. 4: 30. Great love to God, John 14: 22. Readiness to suffer any
thing, for Christ, Rom. 5: 3, 4, 5. Confidence in addresses to God,
1 John 5: 13, 14, and great humility and self-abasement; as in
Abraham, who lay on his face when God sealed the covenant to him,
Gen. 17: 1, 2, 3. This, O this brings home the sweet and good of
all, when this seal is super-added to that.
(continued in file 7...)
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