1. The mission of Christ.
2. The mission of the apostles. Together with the comparison between them both ; as thou hast sent me into the world, even so, &c.
First, The mission of Christ, ' Thou hast sent me into the world.' Here you may consider— (1.) Who sends ; (2.) The nature of this
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mission, or what this sending is ; (3.) The ends and purposes why- Christ was sent.
1. Who sends. Christ saith to his Father, ' Thou hast sent me.' The Holy Ghost sends as well as the Father, 3'ea, the Son sends him- self. The Trinity are one in essence and in Avill, and their actions are undivided ; why then doth he say to the Father, ' Thou hast sent me into the world '? I answer — It is chiefly ascribed to the Father, because it is his personal operation. In the economy of salvation, the original authority is said to reside in God the Father ; he sent Christ, and the Spirit fits and qualifies him, and the Son he takes human nature, and unites it to his own person. Now there is a great deal of comfort in this, that the Father sends Christ. The Father, being first in the order of the persons, is to be looked upon as the offended party, and as the highest judge. All sin is against God, and it chiefly reflects upon the first person, to whom we direct our prayers, and who is the maker of the law, and therefore requires an account of the breach of it. It chiefly reflects upon the first person, to whom Christ tendered the satisfaction. Sin, it is a grieving of the Spirit, it is a crucifying of Christ, there is wrong done to all the persons of the Godhead ; but in the last result of all, it is an off'ence to God the Father, and an aftront to his authority ; for all that is done to the other persons redounds to him. It is his Spirit that is grieved ; and our Saviour thus reasoneth, Luke X. 16, ' He that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me;' so that he is the wronged party. And again, he is the supreme judge. All the persons in the Godhead are co-essential and co-equal in glory and honour ; but in the economy and dispensation of salvation, the Father is to be looked upon as judge and chief. Therefore Christ doth say, ' My Father is greater than I.' And all addresses are made to him, not only by us but by Christ : ' Father, forgive them ; they know not what they do.' And Christ is said to be ' an advocate with the Father,' 1 John ii. 1. I say, in that court and throne that is erected the Father is supreme ; and if it passeth God the Father, the business is done. So John xiv. 16, ' I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.' Pardon, comfort, grace, all comes from the Father, as the fountain and first cause. It is true it is said. Mat. ix. 6, ' That the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins ;' but this is by commission from God the Father. Well, then, the Father sendeth Christ. Eli saith, 1 Sam. ii. 25, ' If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him ; but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall entreat for him ? ' There may be an umpire to compromise the difierence between man and man, and award satisfaction to the party offended ; but now who shall state the offence and compound the difference between us and God ? Can there be an umpire above God, that can give laws to God? The sin is committed against the judge himself, the highest judge, from whom there is no appeal ; and who is a fit person to arbitrate the difference ? This is a doubt that would have remained to all eternity unsatisfied, a question that never could be answered. Where should we find an umpire between God and us, to have awarded a meet satisfaction ? But now God himself is pleased to find out the remedy. Christ saith to the Father, ' Thou hast sent me ;' his act is authoritative and above
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contradiction. If God had not given us a mediator out of his own bosom there could have been no satisfaction, and we had for ever lain under the guilt and burden of our sins : Gal. iv. 4, ' God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,' &c. ; he consecrated him for this great purpose. Therefore he is said to seal him : John vi. 37, ' Him hath God the Father sealed ;' a metaphor taken from them that give com- missions under hand and seal. Christ is a mediator, confirmed and allowed under the broad seal of heaven, by God the Father, as the supreme judge. God hath awarded satisfaction to himself, and sent his own Son to make it.
2, What is this sending ? It implies three things — (1.) The desig- nation of the person ; (2.) His qualification for the work ; (3.) His authority and commission.