Use. God loseth no honour by Christ. God hath more glory, and we have larger demesnes of comfort and grace to live upon. All parties are satisfied ; we have a better portion ; Adam had paradise, we have heaven ; God hath more glory ; the creatures are more acquainted with the infiniteness of mercy, power, and wisdom. Innocence continued had been a great benefit, but now it is more gracious and free ; and it is not the greatness of a benefit that worketh on gratitude so much as the graciousness and freeness of it. Our heaven costeth a greater price, and it is not given to God's friends, but those that were once his enemies.
' On earth.' — This phrase signifieth that Christ did not increase God's essential glory, for that is incapable of any addition ; his nature is infinite, and cannot be made more glorious and excellent ; but only that Christ manifested his glory more fully to the world.
Observe, Christ came down from heaven to make men glorify God. We had lesson enough before us in creation and providence, but men were stupid. Things to which we are accustomed do not work upon us ; in the gospel, God would set his praise to a new tune. God needeth us not, and our respects are due ; and yet at what cost is God to purchase the praise of the creature ! Blind and unthankful men, to dethrone the great God, and set up every paltry creature ! There- fore God sent his Son to revive the notions of the Godhead, and to give us further manifestations of his glory. That was Christ's errand, to glorify him on the earth.
' I have finished the work.' — Christ's work was to manifest the gos- pel, and to redeem sinners ; and how can he say, ' I have finished the work ; ' seeing the chief work of redemption was yet to come, the offering up himself to divine justice upon the cross ? I answer — He had determined to undergo death, and it was now at hand ; in the con- sent and full determination of his will it was done. So upon the cross, just before his death, he crieth, ' It is finished,' John xix. 30. It implieth —
1. The submission, faithfulness, and diligence of Christ ; he never left doing of his Father's work till he had brought it to some issue and period, and doth not sue out his own glory till our redemption was first finished: Phil. ii. 7, ' He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross,' the accursed death of the cross. Christ carried sinners in his heart to his dying day ; he never repented of his bar- gain : John xiii. 1, ' Having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them unto the end.' When he had most cause to loathe sinners, then he loved them ; in his bitter agonies, and the horrors of his cross,
172 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. V.
Christ did not repent of his part. Plead the eternal covenant ; you have God's oath that he will never repent of salvation this way : Ps. ex. 4, ' The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent : thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedeck.' Christ was not weary of suffer- ing for sinners, and God will not be weary of pardoning them. Again, Christ was faithful in the days of his flesh ; he hath lost nothing by going to heaven ; he will finish what he hath begun : 1 Thes. v. 24, ' Faithful is he that hath called you, who also will do it.' This smok- ing flax will be blown up into a flame. These infant desires are buds of glory ; this decay of sin will come to an utter extinction.
2. It noteth the completeness of our redemption : ' All is 'finished.' When he had set all things at rights, then he departed. Christ hath not left the work imperfect, to be supplied by the merit of our own actions ; we are not half purchased : Heb. x. 14, ' By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.' Christ would not have died if the work had not been done ; and if there were anything yet to do, he would die again. But Christ hath no more offering to make, nor suffering to endure, but only to behold the fruit of his suf- fering. He hath not purchased a possible salvation, whose efficacy dependeth on the will of the creature, nor the remission of some sins, and left others upon our score ; nor made purchase of grace for a small time, but ' perfected for ever them that are sanctified.' Popish satis- faction, the loose, possible, pendulous salvation of Arminians, and the doctrine of the apostasy of the saints, are all doctrines prejudicial to the full merit of Christ. It is all finished ; there is enough done to glorify God and save the creature ; justice could demand no more for all engagements. Christ is not ashamed to plead his right at the bar of justice, and to avouch his work before the tribunal of God, This, ' it is finished,' is like Christ's seal to the charter of grace. Now take it, and much good may it do you ! Oh ! that we could rest satisfied with the merit of Christ, as divine justice is satisfied. What should trouble the creature when Christ hath entered his plea, ' Father, it is finished' ? there is enough done. Christ hath no more to do but to sit at the right hand of God, and to rejoice in the welfare of the saints ; there remaining nothing for us but to make our claim, and to live in joy and thankfulness. Christ did not compound, but pay the utter- most farthing : Rom. viii. 1, ov8ev KaruKpifia, ' There is no condem- nation to them that are in Christ Jesus ; ' there is not one curse left. When Israel was brought out of Egypt, it is said, ' A dog shall not move his tongue against you,' Exod. xi. 7. Neither the law, nor wrath, nor conscience, nor Satan hath anything to do with you ; the prison is broken up, the book cancelled, the bill nailed to Christ's cross, that it may never be put in suit again. The devil may trouble you for your exercise, but bear it with comfort and patience ; you have an advocate as well as an accuser. Oh ! that we had a faith suitable to the height of these mysteries, that we could behold the salvation of God in our serious thoughts, and echo to Christ's cry, ' It is finished, it is finished ! ' It is not a full-grown faith till we break out into some triumph ; the child may now play upon the cockatrice's hole. I am much indebted to justice, but Christ hath paid all.