92SermonsofJonathanEdwards
for this matter belongeth to thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it." They spare no pains nor cost to make their pastor's outward circumstances easy and comfortable, and free from pinching necessities and distracting cares, and to put him under the best advantages to follow his great work fully and successfully.
Such a pastor and people, as it is between a couple happily united in a conjugal relation, have a mutual sympathy with each other, a fellow-feeling of each other's burdens and calamities, and a communion in each other's prosperity and joy. When the people suffer in their spiritual interests, the pastor suffers. He is afflicted when he sees their souls in trouble and darkness. He feels their wounds. And he looks on their prosperity and comfort as his own. 2 Cor. 11:29, "Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?" 2 Cor. 7:13, "We were comforted in your comfort." And, on the other hand, the people feel their pastor's burdens, and rejoice in his prosperity and consolations; see Phil. 4:14 and 2 Cor. 2:3.
3. This union is like that which is between a young man and a virgin in its fruits.
One fruit of it is mutual benefit: they become meet helps one for another. The people receive great benefit by the minister, as he is their teacher to communicate spiritual instructions and counsels to them, and is set to watch over them to defend them from those enemies and calamities they are liable to. And so is, under Christ, to be both their guide and guard, as the husband is of the wife. And as the husband provides the wife with food and clothing, so the pastor, as Christ's steward, makes provision for his people, and brings forth out of his treasure things new and old, gives every one his portion of meat in due season, and is made the instrument of spiritually clothing and adorning their souls. And, on the other hand, the minister receives benefit from the people, as they minister greatly to his spiritual good by that holy converse to which their union to him as his flock leads them. The conjugal relation leads the persons united therein to the most intimate acquaintance and conversation with each other. So the union there is between a faithful pastor and a Christian people, leads them to intimate conversation about things of a spiritual nature. It leads the people most freely and fully to open the case of their souls to the pastor, and leads him to deal most freely, closely, and thoroughly with them in things pertaining thereto. And this conversation not only tends to their benefit, but also greatly to his. And the pastor receives benefit from the people outwardly, as they take care of and order his outward accommodations for his support and comfort, and do as it were spread and serve his table for him.
Another fruit of this union, wherein it resembles the conjugal, is a spiritual offspring. There is wont to arise from the union of such a pastor and people a spiritual race of children. These new-born children of God are in the Scripture represented both as the children of ministers, as those who have begotten them through the gospel, and also as the children of the church, who is represented as their mother that has brought them forth, and at whose breasts they are nourished; as in Isa. 54:1, and 66:11; Gal. 4:26; 1 Pet. 2:2 and many other places.
Having thus briefly shown how the uniting of faithful ministers with Christ's people in the ministerial office, when done in a due manner, is like a young man marrying a virgin, I proceed now to the
II. Prop. viz. That this union of ministers with the people of Christ is in order to their being brought to the blessedness of a more glorious union, in which Christ shall rejoice over them as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride.
First, the saints are, and shall be, the subjects of this blessedness. Of all the various kinds of union of sensible and temporal things that are used in Scripture to represent the relation there is between Christ and his church, that which is between bridegroom and bride, or husband and wife, is much the most frequently made use of both in the Old and New Testament. The Holy Ghost seems to take a peculiar delight in this, as a similitude fit to represent the strict, intimate, and blessed union that is between Christ and his saints. The apostle intimates that one end why God appointed marriage and established so near a relation as that between husband and wife was that it might be a type of the union that is between Christ and his church. In Eph. 5:30, 31, 32. "For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and they two shall be one flesh." — For this cause, i.e. because we are members of Christ's body, of his flesh, and of his bones, God appointed that man and wife should be so joined together as to be one flesh, to represent this high and blessed union between Christ and his church. The apostle explains himself in the next words, "This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church." This institution of marriage, making the man and his wife one flesh, is a great mystery; i.e. there is a great and glorious mystery hid in the design of it. And the apostle tells us what that glorious mystery is, "I speak concerning Christ and the church," as much as to say, the mystery I speak of, is that blessed union that is between Christ and his church, which I spoke of before.
This is a blessed union indeed of which that between a faithful minister and a Christian people is but a shadow. Ministers are not the proper husbands of the church, though their union to God's people, as Christ's ambassadors, in several respects resembles the conjugal relation. But Christ is the true husband of the church, to whom the souls of the saints are espoused indeed, and to whom they are united as his flesh and his bones, yea and one spirit; to whom they have given themselves in an everlasting covenant, and whom alone they cleave to, love, honor, obey, and trust in, as their spiritual husband, whom alone they reserve themselves for as chaste virgins, and whom they follow whithersoever he goeth. There are many ministers in the church of Christ, and there may be several pastors of one particular church, but the church has but one husband, all others are rejected and despised in comparison of him. He is among the sons as the apple tree among the trees of the wood. They all are barren and worthless, he only is the fruitful tree, and therefore, leaving all others, the church betakes herself to him alone, and sits under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit is sweet to her taste. She takes up her full and entire rest in him, desiring no other. — The relation between a minister and people shall be dissolved, and may be dissolved before death. But the union between Christ and his church shall never be dissolved, neither before death nor by death, but shall endure through all eternity. "The mountains shall part, and the hills be removed; but Christ's conjugal love and kindness shall not depart from his church; neither shall the covenant of his peace, the marriage-covenant, be removed," Isa. 54:10 — The union between a faithful minister and a Christian people is but a partial resemblance even of the marriage union, it is like marriage only in some particulars. But with respect to the union between Christ and his church, marriage is but a partial resemblance, yea, a faint shadow. Every thing desirable and excellent in the union between an earthly bridegroom and bride, is to be found in the union between Christ and his church. And that in an infinitely greater perfection and more glorious manner. — There is infinitely more to be found in it than ever was found between the happiest couple in a conjugal relation, or could be found if the bride and bridegroom had not only the innocence of Adam and Eve, but the perfection of angels.
Christ and his saints, standing in such a relation as this one to another, the saints must needs be unspeakably happy. Their mutual joy in each other is answerable to the nearness of their relation and strictness of their union. Christ rejoices over the church as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, and she rejoices in him as the bride rejoices in the bridegroom. My text has respect to the mutual joy that Christ and his church should have in each other. For though the joy of Christ over his church only is mentioned, yet it is evident that this is here spoken of and promised as the great happiness of the church, and therefore supposes her joy in him.
The mutual joy of Christ and his church is like that of bridegroom and bride, in that they rejoice in each other, as those whom they have chosen above others, for their nearest, most intimate, and everlasting friends and companions. The church is Christ's chosen. Isa. 41:9, "I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away." Chap. 48:10, "I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." How often are God's saints called his elect or chosen ones! He has chosen them, not to be mere servants, but friends. John 15:15, "I call you not servants; but I have called you friends." And though Christ be the Lord of glory, infinitely above men and angels, yet he has chosen the elect to be his companions, and has taken upon him their nature, and so in some respect, as it were, leveled himself with them, that he might be their brother and companion. Christ, as well as David, calls the saints his brethren and companions. Psa. 122:8, "For my brethren and companions' sake I will now say, Peace be within thee." So in the book of Canticles, he calls his church his sister and spouse. Christ has loved and chosen his church as his peculiar friend, above others. Psa. 135:4, "The Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure." As the bridegroom chooses the bride for his peculiar friend above all others in the world, so Christ has chosen his church for a peculiar nearness to him, as his flesh and his bone, and the high honor and dignity of espousals above all others, rather than the fallen angels, yea, rather than the elect angels. For verily in this respect, "he taketh not hold of angels, but he taketh hold of the seed of Abraham;" as the words are in the original, Heb. 2:16. He has chosen his church above the rest of mankind, above all the heathen nations, and those that are without the visible church, and above all other professing Christians. Song 6:9, "My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her." Thus Christ rejoices over his church, as obtaining in her that which he has chosen above all the rest of the creation, and as sweetly resting in his choice, Psa. 132:13, 14, "The Lord hath chosen Zion: he hath desired it. — This is my rest for ever."
On the other hand, the church chooses Christ above all others. He is in her eyes the chief among ten thousands, fairer than the sons of men. She rejects the suit of all his rivals, for his sake. Her heart relinquishes the whole world. He is her pearl of great price, for which she parts with all, and rejoices in him, as the choice and rest of her soul.
Christ and his church, like the bridegroom and bride, rejoice in each other, as having a special propriety in each other. All things are Christ's, but he has a special propriety in his church. There is nothing in heaven or earth, among all the creatures, that is his, in that high and excellent manner that the church is his. They are often called his portion and inheritance. They are said, Rev. 14:4, to be "the firstfruits to God and the Lamb." As of old, the first fruit was that part of the harvest that belonged to God, and was to be offered to him. So the saints are the first fruits of God's creatures, being that part which is in a peculiar manner Christ's portion, above all the rest of the creation. Jam. 1:18, "Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures." And Christ rejoices in his church, as in that which is peculiarly his. Isa. 65:19, "I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people." The church has also a peculiar propriety in Christ: though other things are hers, yet nothing is hers in that manner that her spiritual bridegroom is hers. Great and glorious as he is, yet he, with all his dignity and glory, is wholly given to her, to be fully possessed and enjoyed by her, to the utmost degree that she is capable of. Therefore we have her so often saying in the language of exultation and triumph, "My beloved is mine, and I am his." Song 2:16, and 6:3, and 7:10.
Christ and his church, like the bridegroom and bride, rejoice in each other as those that are the objects of each other's most tender and ardent love. The love of Christ to his church is altogether unparalleled. The height and depth and length and breadth of it pass knowledge, for he loved the church, and gave himself for it. And his love to her proved stronger than death. And on the other hand, she loves him with a supreme affection. Nothing stands in competition with him in her heart. She loves him with all her heart. Her whole soul is offered up to him in the flame of love. And Christ rejoices and has sweet rest and delight in his love to the church. Zep. 3:17, "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing." So the church, in the exercises of her love to Christ, rejoices with unspeakable joy. 1 Pet. 1:7, 8, "Jesus Christ: whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory."
Christ and his church rejoice in each other's beauty. The church rejoices in Christ's divine beauty and glory. She, as it were, sweetly solaces herself in the light of the glory of the Sun or righteousness. And the saints say one to another, as in Isa. 2:5, "O house of Jacob, come ye, let us walk in the light of the Lord." The perfections and virtues of Christ are as a perfumed ointment to the church that make his very name to be to her as ointment poured forth. Song 1:3, "Because of the savour of they good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee." And Christ delights and rejoices in the beauty of the church, the beauty which he hat put upon her: her Christian graces are ointments of great price in his sight, 1 Pet. 3:4. And he is spoken of as greatly desiring her beauty, Psa. 45:11. Yea, he himself speaks of his heart as ravished with her beauty, Song 4:9, "Thou has ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine yes, with one chain of thy neck."
Christ and his church, as the bridegroom and bride, rejoice in each other's love. Wine is spoken of, Psa. 104:15, as that which maketh glad man's heart. But the church of Christ is spoken of as rejoicing in the love of Christ, as that which is more pleasant and refreshing than wine. Song 1:4, "The king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine." So on the other hand, Christ speaks of the church's love as far better to him than wine. Song 4:10, "How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is thy love than wine!"
Christ and his church rejoice in communion with each other, as in being united in their happiness, and having fellowship and a joint participation in each other's good. As the bridegroom and bride rejoice together at the wedding-feast, and as thenceforward they are joint partakers of each other's comforts and joys. Rev 3:20, "If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me." The church has fellowship with Christ in his own happiness, and his divine entertainments. His joy is fulfilled in her, John 15:11, and 17:13. She sees light in his light. And she is made to drink at the river of his own pleasures, Psa. 36:8, 9. And Christ brings her to eat and drink at his own table, to take her fill of his own entertainments. Song 5:1, "Eat, O friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved." And he, on the other hand, has fellowship with her. He feasts with her. Her joys are his. And he rejoices in that entertainment that she provides for him. So Christ is said to feed among the lilies, Song 2:16 and chap. 7:13. She speaks of all manner of pleasant fruits, new and old, which she had laid up, and says to him chap. 4:16, "Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits." And he makes answer in the next verse, "I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice, I have eaten my honey-comb with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk."
And lastly, Christ and his church, as the bridegroom and bride, rejoice in conversing with each other. The words of Christ by which he converses with his church, are most sweet to her. And therefore she says of him, Song 5:16, "His mouth is most sweet." And on the other hand, he says of her, chapter 2:14, "Let me hear thy voice: for sweet is thy voice." And chapter 4:11, "Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honey-comb; honey and milk are under they tongue."
Christ rejoices over his saints as the bridegroom over the bride at all times. But there are some seasons wherein he does so more especially. Such a season is the time of the soul's conversion. When the good shepherd finds his lost sheep, then he brings it home rejoicing, and calls together his friends and neighbors, saying,
Rejoice with me. The day of a sinner's conversion is the day of Christ's espousals, and so is eminently the day of his rejoicing. Song 3:11, "Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart." And it is oftentimes remarkably the day of the saints' rejoicing in Christ. For then God turns again the captivity of his elect people and, as it were, fills their mouth with laughter and their tongue with singing; as in Psa. 126 at the beginning. We read of the jailer, that when he was converted, "he rejoiced, believing in God, with all his house," Acts 16:34. — There are other seasons of special communion of the saints with Christ wherein Christ does in a special manner rejoice over his saints, and as their bridegroom brings them into his chambers, that they also may be glad and rejoice in him, Song 1:4.
But this mutual rejoicing of Christ and his saints will be in its perfection at the time of the saints' glorification with Christ in heaven. For that is the proper time of the saints' entering in with the bridegroom into the marriage, Mat. 25:10. The saints' conversion is rather like the betrothing of the intended bride to the bridegroom before they come together. But at the time of the saints' glorification that shall be fulfilled in Psa. 45:15. "With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought; they shall enter into the king's palace." That is the time when those whom Christ loved, and for whom he gave himself — that he might sanctify and cleanse them, as with the washing of water by the word — shall be presented to him in glory, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. Then the church shall be brought to the full enjoyment of her bridegroom, having all tears wiped away from her eyes. And there shall be no more distance or absence. She shall then be brought to the entertainments of an eternal weddingfeast, and to dwell forever with her bridegroom, yea, to dwell eternally in his embraces. Then Christ will give her his loves. And she shall drink her fill, yea, she shall swim in the ocean of his love.
And as there are various seasons wherein Christ and particular saints do more especially rejoice in each other, so there are also certain seasons wherein Christ does more especially rejoice over his church collectively taken. Such a season is a time of remarkable outpouring of the Spirit of God. It is a time of the espousals of many souls to Christ, and so of the joy of espousals. It is a time wherein Christ is wont more especially to visit his saints with his loving-kindness, and to bring them near to himself, and especially to refresh their hearts with divine communications. On which account, it becomes a time of great joy to the church of Christ. So when the Spirit of God was so wonderfully poured out on the city of Samaria, with the preaching of Philip, we read that "there was great joy in that city," Acts 8:8. And the time of that wonderful effusion of the Spirit at Jerusalem, begun at the feast of Pentecost, was a time of holy feasting and rejoicing, and a kind of a wedding-day to the church of Christ; wherein "they continuing daily, with one accord, in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness, and singleness of heart," Acts 2:46.
But more especially is the time of that great outpouring of the Spirit of God in the latter days, so often foretold in the Scriptures, represented as the marriage of the Lamb, and the rejoicing of Christ and his church in each other, as the bridegroom and the bride. This is the time prophesied of in our text and context and foretold in Isa. 65:19 "I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people; and the voice of weeping shall no more be heard in her, not the voice of crying." This is the time spoken of Rev. 19:6, 7, 8, 9 where the apostle John tells us he "heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of might thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready." And adds, "To her was granted, that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage-supper of the Lamb."
But above all, the time of Christ's last coming is that of the consummation of the church's marriage with the Lamb and of the complete and most perfect joy of the wedding. In that resurrectionmorning, when the sun of righteousness shall appear in our heavens, shining in all his brightness and glory, he will come forth as a bridegroom. He shall come in the glory of his Father, with all his holy angels. And at that glorious appearing of the great God, and our Savior Jesus Christ, shall the whole elect church, complete as to every individual member, and each member with the whole man, both body and soul, and both in perfect glory, ascend up to meet the Lord in the air, to be thenceforth forever with the Lord. That will be indeed a joyful meeting of this glorious bridegroom and bride. Then the bridegroom will appear in all his glory without any veil. And then the saints shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father and at the right hand of their Redeemer. And then the church will appear as the bride, the Lamb's wife. It is the state of the church after the resurrection that is spoken of [in] Rev. 21:2, "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." And verse 9, "Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife." Then will come the time, when Christ will sweetly invite his spouse to enter in with him into the palace of his glory, which he had been preparing for her from the foundation of the world, and shall, as it were, take her by the hand, and lead her in with him. And this glorious bridegroom and bride shall, with all their shining ornaments, ascend up together into the heaven of heavens, the whole multitude of glorious angels waiting upon them, and this son and daughter of God shall, in their united glory and joy, present themselves together before the Father; when Christ shall say, "Here am I, and the children which thou hast given me." And they both shall in that relation and union, together receive the Father's blessing. And shall thenceforward rejoice together in consummate, uninterrupted, immutable, and everlasting glory, in the love and embraces of each other, and joint enjoyment of the love of the Father.