John 5:21

Christ produceth several instances and proofs of his conjunction and equality with the Father, which are greater then that of the cure wrought on the man. Whereof the first is the quickening of the dead, and raising them up, wherein he worketh as the Father worketh; Not that he quickeneth some and the Father others, but that he is joynt with the Father in these works, and equal with him in doing them, working even so, as the Father worketh them; not as an instrument, but whom he will, that is, as a principal agent, by the same authority, and absolute freedome of will, with the Father. This quickening and raising may very safely be understood both of quickening these who are dead in sinne, and of raising up of all at the last day, of both which he speaks more distinctly, verse 25, 28. not excluding also his miraculous quickening and raising up of particular persons, (such as Lazarus, &c.) as a proof of what he had foretold to the Jewes, verse 20. Nor is this conjunction of the Father and Sonne in this work to be understood, as excluding the Holy Ghost, who works from the Father and the Sonne, in this operation, Rom. 8.11. 1 Cor. 12.10, 11. But Christ here speaks to the present point in controversie, which the Jewes denied, Doctrine 1. Quickening and raising of the dead, whether bodily or spiritually, is an act of omnipotencie, and proper to God onely; Therefore doth Christ set it out as his Fathers prerogative, and his, as equal with him, to raise up the dead and quicken them. See Deut. 32.39. 1 Sam. 2.6. Psal. 68.20. 2. As Christs power to quicken the dead, is a proof of his equality with the Father, and sheweth the infinitenesse of the power communicated from the Father to him: So this proof of his Godhead, and of the Fathers also, doth give to them who come to God through him, sufficient ground of confidence in lesser difficulties; may establish their hearts, when nothing but omnipotencie can effectuate what they need, and is promised to them; and, may give these who have found his quickening vertue, confidence in coming to him, to recover their decayed spiritual condition: so much may faith gather from this, as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, so the Sonne quickeneth. See Rom. 4.17 3. Christ in his working, is absolute, sovereigne and independent, as the Father is, for, he quickeneth whom he will, and hath the dispensation of his power absolutely in his own hand: Which as it is verified in spiritual renovation, and in miraculous raising up of some, so in all his actions, to deny him absolute sovereignty to work as he pleaseth, is to deny him to be God, Psal. 115.3. Though his people have this comfort, that what is his will, is their will.