511 SERMON LXX. The Authority of Jefus Chrift, with the Commiffion and Promife which he gave to his Apoftles. MAT. 28. I8, I9, 20. And7efus came and f (rake unto them, faying, Allpower is given unto me in heaven and in earth: Goye therefore and teach a&Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, andof the Son, and of theHolyGhof1: Teaching them to obferve all thingswhatfoever I have commanded you: And lo, Iam with you alway, even unto the end of the World. T H E S E Words are the laft that our Bleffed Saviour fpake to his Apoftles, immediately before his Afcenfion into Heaven; and there are thefe Three things contained in them. I. ADeclaration of his own Authority; All power is given unto me both in heaven and in earth. H. ACommiffion tohis Difciples, grounded upon that Authority ; Go ye there- fore, and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, andof the Son, and of theholy Ghofl: Teaching them to obferve all thingswhatfoever I have commandedyeti. HI. A promife to encourage them in this work; And 10, Iam withyou always, even unto the end of the world. I. Here's our Saviour'sDeclaration of his own Authority ; All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Here's an unlimited Power and Authority given him over all Creatures inHeaven and Earth. This, the Scripture tells us, was conferred upon him, as a Reward of his Sufferings; Phil. 2. 8, g, so. He humbled himfelf, and be- came obedient unto death, even the death of the Crofs. Wherefore God alfo bath highly exalted him, and given him a Name, which is above every name; that at the Name of 7efus every knee fhould bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth; and things under theearth; that is, that all Creatures, Angels, and Men, and Devils, fhoulddo Ho- mage, and acknowledge Subjeltion to him. II. Here is the Commiffion he gave tohis Apoftles, by virtue of this Authority; Go ye thereforeand teach all Nations. TheCommiffion which he here gives, is foun- ded in the Authority he had before received. Having all Power committed to him, he conftitutes and appoints the Apoltles and their Succeffors, to manage the Affairs of this his fpiritual Kingdom upon Earth, and this feems to be the fame Commiffi- on, which St. John mentions in other words, phis 20. 21. As my Father bath fent me, even fo fend I you ; that is, as my Father commiffion'd me before, fo now ha- ving received full Authority from him, I commiffionyou. Now in this Commiffion, whichour Saviour gaveto hisDifciples, I (halltake notice. Firfl, Of the general Import and Defign of it. Secondly, Amore particular Declaration how they were to manage this Defign. Firf1, The general Import and Defign of this Commiffion 5 Go ye and teach allNa- tions. The word whichwe tranflate teach, is ,ecceSnnúewm, difciple all Nations, en- deavour tomake all theWorld Chriftians. One would thinkhere wasa Power plainly enough given them, to preach the Gofpel to the Gentiles, as well as to the Jews. Which will more fully appear, if we compare this 'mirage in St. Matthewwith the o- ther Evangelills. St. Mark, ch. 56. 55. bath it ; Goye into all the world, and preach the Gabel to every creature. From whichText I fuppofe St. Francis thought himfelf bound to preach to Beafts and Birds, and accordingly did it very often, and with wonderful fuccefs, as they tell us in the Legend of his Life. But to extend our Savi- our's Commiffion fo far, is want of Common fenfe; in whichSt. Francis (tho' they tell us he had other Gifts andGraces to an eminent degree) was plainly defe live. But toproceed, St. Luke, ch. 24. 47. tellsus, ourSaviour commanded, that Repen- tance and remion ofSins fhould be preached in bis Name amongall Nations, beginning at Jerufalem. So that their Commiffiondid plainly extend to the Gentiles, as well as to the Jews; only they were to begin with the Jews, and to preach the Gofpel 6rft to
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