Section 22
III. What kind of refuge is Jesus Christ?
He is a refuge that hath these properties; and they are all desirable in a refuge:
1. He is an appointed refuge ; ordained Of God on purpose for us to fly to, in all our ailments. There were many cities in Israel, many in every tribe, but only sis appointed for refuge; and God himself appointed them, not Moses, John iii. 16. I Cor. i. 30. We may plead it with him in reference to all his offices, whereinsoever we have need of him, that he is therefore raised up, and sent, and anointed, and sealed, as Priest to satisfy for us, as Prophet to teach us, as King to protect and defend us.
2. He is an able refuge—all-snfiicient. Many refuges that people fly to, under guilt, under trouble, prove unable to shield and shelter them. Many persons are either feeble and infirm, and cannot, or false and treacherous, and will not. Many things, as strong holds and castles, in time of war are untenable, broken reeds: so Rabshakeh calls Egypt, Isa. XXXvi. 6. and so it proved to God's people, when they trusted to it and relied upon it. "When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judahsaw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb ; yet could not he heal you, nor cure you of your wound," Hos. v. 13. Of our Lord Jesus this is said, which is certainly true, *' I have laid help upon one that is mighty," Ps. Ixxxix. 19. " He is able to save to the uttermost," Heb. vii. 25. ''In that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted," Heb. ii. 18. Lord, if thou wilt thou canst, says the poor leper. Matt. viii. 2. He can acquit from guilt, he can secure from danger, he can support, and he can supply.
3. He is a refuge at hand. If a friend be never so able to help, if he be far off when we have need of him, what the better are we? *^ The word is nigh thee," Rom. x. 8. *' God is a very present help in trouble," Ps. xlvi. 1.*' The Lord of hosts is with us," Ps. xlvi. 7,11 ,—pi'€sent with us. It is a very comfortable consideration when under goilt^-wo Qiided, u know that the remedy is at hand; when tempted-under prevailing fears of want—^in trouble, in danger, to be assured that cities of refage are so near.
4. He is a universal refage: /or mU peruu. Whosoever will may come, and find abetter iri*^ him, Isa. Iv. 1. every cwty JEtev. xxii. 17. wk»»etfT willj Jew or Gentile, rich or poor. - God hath k» where excluded thee; then do not tfaoa exclude tj-self. Cities of refuge were for straogen, not Ivaei only.
He is a refuge in all eases, inward or outward. bodily or ghostly.—^Let the offence be wbat it wlU. he hath merit for the pardon of it. Ijet tbe temptation be what it may, he hath strengtb to owtscomt it. Let the danger be ever so threatening, be cas save from it. There was a limitation in tbe cities of refuge; they were only for the manslayer; the thkl the highwayman, the adulterer had no city; bet in Christ there is a refuge for the most guilty. ^ I was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurioiia: but I obtained mercy," 1 Tim. i. 13. ** And such." referring to the awful list before enumerated, *' were some of yon; but ye are washed, but je are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God," 1 Cor. li. II.
6. He is an unchangeable refuge, Heb. xiii. S. The six cities of refuge in the land of Canaan an passed away, and gone, and are refuges no more: so is also many a strong fort and tower ; but om refuge is still what he was, and where be was, He. vii. 24. Ps. xxvii. 10; cxlvi. 3,5,10.
6. He is an open refuge. If a refuge be neret so near us, if it be shut against us, what the better are we? If the castle bridge be drawn op, wbat can it avail us? Our Lord Jesus is an open SaTioar. Zech. xiii. a fountain open —not sealed and shut up. His eye is always open to see and bebold ns; bis ear, to hear our prayers; his arms, to receiTe and embrace us; his hand, to give, to supply us; liis doors, to bid us welcome. O that we were as opea to him as he is to us, Ps. xxiv. He calls and calb again. Cant. v. 1.
7. He is the only refuge. Besides bim tbere is do other;—none in heaven, none on eartb ; none witliio us, none without us, Isa. xl. 6—8.
None ior justification. When we have sinned what other way is there of making atonement? Can saints and angels do it? Can our own rigbteoosness! Then Paul would never have renounced bis, as be did, though far beyond ours: his anxiety was to be found in him, Phil. iii. 8, 9. as the malefkctor in tbe city of refuge.
None for strength ; either to do duty or to resist temptation. Paul says, he could do all througfc Christ strengthening him, but nothing in and of himself. We are more than conquerors only in hiis. Rom. viii.
WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS.
None in all our outward concerns, pablic or personal, Ps. Ixii. 5—8; cxlvi. 3—6.
IV. What is it to fly to him for refuge, and what should move us so to do ? If Christ be such a refuge, and the iinly such, then what is the reason so few come to him for refuge ?
1. The reason is, they do not know him; their minds are blinded ; they will not believe the report of the gospel concerning him, John iv. 10. If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that said unto thee, Give m$ to drink ; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water,
2. They are deluded with false refuges: they have other things to trust to; one to this, another to that, Ps. XX. 7. Prov. xviii. 11. Isa. xxviii. 15. When God shall send them hereafter to the refuges they have chosen, O the shame and confusion that will then follow \ as Judg. x. 14. '< Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation." The righteous when they see it shall laugh, Ps. lii. 6,7.
3. They do not feel their need of a refuge, Prov. 111. 17.
If others however will not, let %is make him ofur refuge and fly to him accordingly.
1. What is it to fly to Christ for refuge f (1.) It is to betake ourselves to him. Behold he calls. Come unto me; let thy soul answer, Lo I come. Come for pardon of all thy sins; come for righteousness wherein to appear before God; come for mercy, grace, peace, strength, comfort, quickening; yea, come with boldness, Heb. iv. 16.
(2.) It is to lay hold on him, so the word is here, by a true and a lively faith.
As a man sinking lays hold on a bough, cord, plank, cast out to save him.
As Joab laid hold on the horns of the altar, when Solomon sent to slay him, 1 Kings ii. 28.
As we lay hold on the opportunity of a good bargain, when it is ofiered to us; closing with it, accepting of it, deliberately, sincerely, freely, and forever. This is believing: sgsd you that have thus taken hold keep your hold; let not Satan, nor unbelief, beat thee ofi*; say, Either at this door I must have salvation, or perish for ever. Necessity oftentimes makes them strong that are otherwise weak. When life lies upon it, and I must either hold fast or die, strength is summoned.
(3.) It is to do it with all speed. Flying is the swiftest motion of all other: such should ours be to Christ,— I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments, Ps. cxix. 60.—for three reasons; The imminency of our danger. The avenger of blood is at thy heels; if he overtake thee short of Christ, thou art undone for ever.
The uncertainty of our life. We are here to-day, and gone to-morrow: no time is ours but the present time, 1 Cor. vi. 2.
The uncertainty of the offer of this refuge. Many a man's day of life is longer than his day of grace, Luke xix. 42. O then bestir thyself; hoist up sail while the wind blows; strike while the iron is hot. Do ye think the malefactor pursued would stay to talk and prate with every idle companion ? No: but run with all his might for fear of the worst. So should we: his flight was but to save a temporal life, ours eternal.
2. What encouragement have we thus to fly to Christ for refuge.
(I.) His express call and command, *' Cpme onto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden,'' Matt, xi. 28. Heavy laden,—either with outward burthens, want, sickness, unkindness of relations, or malice of enemies. However it be, make thy case known to him, spread it before him, by prayer and supplication. Cast thy care upon him; believe it is that •which he knows to be best for thee. He can and will make a way for thee to escape. But then thou must keep his way, not turn aside. Or, heavy laden—with inward pressures of guilt, sense of wrath, prevailing fears. Come to me, says he, as to thy refuge ; I will relieve thee and succour thee, Isa. 1.10.
(2.) The experience of the saints of God in all ages, who have found him a ready refuge to them in all their troubles, Ps. xxxiv. 4—6. There is no instance to the contrary. No guilty sinner, that repented and believed the gospel, and laid hold by faith on the Lord Jesus, for peace and pardon, ever went without it.—And should not this encourage us ?
Under the law we are told there were officers yearly chosen on purpose to oversee the highways to the cities of refuge, to be sure that they were in good repair, that there was no hinderance, no stumbling-stone, Dent. xix. 3. Besides, they were all Levites' cities. The same is the work of ministers of the gospel now. The command to them is, Isa. xl. 3, Prepare ye the way. And woe unto us if it be not done, and a thousand woes to them, that instead of removing stumbling stones out of the way, lay them in the way, instead of encouraging, discourage. To conclude. My exhortation this day is,
1. To all that have not made Christ their refuge, by all means to do it, and that quickly, for delays are dangerous.
2. To those that have; to be doing it, yet daily more and more. And when they have done it, in God's name to take the comfort of it*. Your consolation should be strong consolation, that have fled for refuge; that is, too strong for all your doubts and fears—prevailing against them and over them. No life is so sweet as theirs that make Christ their refuge lit all times, in all things. But then be sure ye are never caught out of him. The malefactors if ever taken out of the refuge were slain. ** We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end," Heb. iii. 14.
APPENDIX.
SERMON VIII.
CHRIST IS OUR R10HTBOU6NB88.
Jer. xxiii. 6.
And thii is tfte name whereby he shall be called. The Lord our Righteousness, That these words are to be understood of the Messiah, or Saviour, no one doubts that knows the Scripture, Jew or Gentile; but that Jesus of Nazareth is he, the Jew denies, the Christian only believes. He hath many names given him in Scripture; two, in the words foregoing, v. 5. a righteous Branch; a King, reigning and prospering; Isa. vii. 14. Immanuel; ix. 6,7. Wonderful,Counsellor:VL?L\X.\.^\. Jesus, But among all the rest of his names, none is more sweet than this in the text, the Lord our Righteousness, The Lord Jehovah; the incommunicable name of God, never given to any creature, in heaven or earth. By this we prove him to be the infinite and eternal God. What can be plainer ? He is Jehovah, having his being of himself, and giving breath and being to all things, for *' all things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made," John i. 3. He is our righteousness: what that means you will hear, but this is his name by which he will be known, and this is his memorial unto all generations; by this name he hath been, is, and shall be, called by all true believers.
DocT. Jesus Christ is the Lord our righteous-ness and it is our duty to call him so.
Of all the sermons that ever I have preached to you concerning Christ, I would most earnestly beg your attention to this sermon. Of all that we are to teach, and you are to learn, concerning him, I beseech you learn this, be not ignorant of this.
Show, I. What it means.
II. Prove it duty to call him so.
I. Show what is meant by his being our righteousness. It means,
1. That it is in him alone that God the Father is well pleased. And is that so ? Yes: it was declared twice by a voice from heaven. Matt iii. 17; xvii. 5. Not only with whom, but in whom, I am well pleased, atoned, pacified, satisfied. I acquiesce in him, without looking any further. Let me have him, and I have enough, I have all. He is God's all in all, and why then should he not be ours. If Ae be well pleased in him, why are not we ?
2. That it is by and through him alone that we are justified; that is, acquitted from guilt, and accepted into favour, which are the ingredients of justification.
Acquitted from guilt. Guilty we all are; we know it, we can none of us deny it. Having sinned, we are for our sins justly liable to God's wrath and curse, both in this world and that which is to esot To be so is to be wretched and miserable; nov hot shall we do to be acquitted ? Wbj, throngb Jests Christ only: He is the way, and there is no oifc<r. Acts xiii. 38, 39. Were we thoroughly coorinced tf guilt, we should hearken to this; it would be tboiik a word worthy of all acceptation; and to it is. 1 Tim. i. 15.
Accepted into favour, Eph. i. 6. Rom. v. 1,1 The grace and favour of God is the creature's ka^-piness;—^want thdt, and want all; have that, ud have all. Now there can be no hope of this him but in and by Jesus Christ The holy God will aii-mit of none into his friendship or fellowship, k: those to whom Jesus Christ is made rigfateoosiKSi
3. Tis through his merit and medlatioD akse that our performances are made acceptable, 1 Pet ii. 6. As our bad deeds are no otherwise to be expiated, so our good deeds are no otherwise to be a cepted. To what purpose is it for any of as to (k any thing that is good, if we be not accepted is it; to pray, hear, give alms, keep the sabbath? Novn is Chrisfs righteousness alone that merits that a ceptation; he is the incense that perfumes all.
4. It is by him alone that we have right and titk to the heavenly inheritance. It is his purchase; k bought it with his blood. We had a right by crealiei upon condition of perfect obedience, but we lost it by our fall in Adam: it is restored only by the secoid Adam. If he be the Lord our righteousness, we na; plead that, and say. Lord, Christ is mine, save wt save me from hell, for I am in Christ Jesus, Roa viii. 1. bring me to heaven, for I am in Christ; fe is the way, the door.
But it may be asked, How will it be made ^ from Scripture, that this is the meaning of his beisf our righteousness ? I answer: Both the Old Tests-men t and the New are one in it; as face answers tf face in a glass, or in the water, as the cberobiiv looked towards each other, so the Bible agrees« this subject
In the Old Testament it is prophesied of hiut. Das-ix. 24. that he should bring in everlasting rigl Uesv-ness. What to do? Tojinishthe transgressing oi to make reconciliation for iniquity, Woaldst tboa have an end made of thy sins ? It must be in tbii way; it can be in no other. In Mai. iv. 2. Be i$ called the Sun of righteousness, not only rigbteoosis himself, pure and spotless, but the Lord our righteousness.
As full of righteousness for our purpose, in erefr thing, as the sun is of light; no danger of wanting'
As free to communicate as the sun is; wbosoever will may come.
As refreshing and comfortable where be dcti communicate it, as the sun is.
In the New Testament it is further cleared, so tkt he that runs may read.
WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS. ie -unto us of Godf riffhteatunesSf 1 Cor. i. 90. that vod the Father pitying oar lost and undone condi-, for want of a rigbteoasness, made him righteoas-i to Qs. Here is my Son, saith he, shall be year tteousness, I make him so to yoa ; ordain, con-ite, and appoint him your atonement, propiti-n, advocate, sarety. Plead him accordingly. .^aln. He hath made him to be sin for us whohnew in. ; that we might be made the righteousness of r in Mm, 1 Cor. v. 21. Note. It is said, he was ie sin for us; that is, the sin of the world was *uted to him, made to meet upon him as the debts a great many debtors are upon one common 3ty» Isa. liii. 6. Being found under such a debt nras treated accordingly, Isa. liii. 10. bruised— te an offering, that is, by dying upon the cross-same with his being made a curse for us. Gal. 13. (Lord! that such things should be spoken of I, done unto him, for the sake of poor worms!) w this suffering and dying of his is imputed to as our righteousness; as when the surety pays a »t, his payment is imputed to the debtor, as if he isel f had paid it Not his being bom, living, fol-ng the law, but his death. Not the sufferings of life, but his dying sorrows. >f ote also. Hereupon we are made the righteous-9 of God in him. We are accepted, justified, ac-tted. But why the righteousness of God ? I.) Because this imputed righteousness isaright-isness of God's own contriving and providing for Phil. iii. 9. which is of God bg faith; not the bteousness of works, which is of ourselves; but God by faith. We are sinners by imputation; we .y be righteous the same way. [2.) Because Christ is God, who wrought it out d brought it in for us. It is not a man's righte-sness, poor and weak, and insufficient, but a God's hteousness. He is Jehovah our righteousness. [I. I am to persuade you all, to call Jesus Christ this sweet name, the Lord our righteousness; ch one with application to himself—as David, id would you think an Old-Testament saint, that ed under that dark dispensation, should have cb clearness in this matter ? A shame to us that e not clear in it, that live under gospel light. Ps. . 1. O God ofmg righteousness^^ihe God on whom 9ne I do rely for righteousness. The prophet aiah speaks of it as the Shibboleth of all the saints, a. xlv. 24, 25. It was Paul's choice in particular, s deliberate choice, and should be ours, each of us, bil. iii. 8,9. O that I knew what to say, that would evail. Some one perhaps objects, and says—*' Call m by this name ? It is the easiest thing of a thou-ind." You should distinguish doing it in word and ngue, and doing it in deed and truth—understand-igly, uprightly, absolutely, so as to renounce all ihers, and to cleave to him alone. Consider, 1. The misery they are in who never yet called Jesus Christ by this name, and the blessed and happy condition they are in that have done so. Let me set the one of these over against the other, and if you will mix faith vrith it, I should hope it might move you.
(1.) Till we have called Jesus Christ the Lord our righteousness, that is, heartily owned him as such, our condition is a shameful, nahed condition, and that is a wretched, miserable condition. Rev. iii. 17. because, till clothed with Christ's righteousness, our shame appears in the sight of God. Our shame is our sin. All thy sins are before him, and he loathes the sight of them. Perhaps thou sayest. What matter? O do not say so, for it is a matter, a sad matter.—^When Adam saw his nakedness, he ran and hid himself; so wouldst thou, didst thou see thine. Well but, on the contrary, if thou hast heartily owned Christ, thy soul is a clothed soul; clothed with white raiment; clean and white, lovely and amiable; thou mayst go with comfort into the presence of God, as Jacob in Esaa's clothes. Again, (2.) Till we have called Jesus Christ the Lord our righteousness, ours is a dismal, dark condition. When we call the Lord our righteousness, then he rises upon our souls as a Sun of righteousness, and that which follows is the light of comfort, and peace, and joy; such joy as none knows but they that feel it. It is hidden manna, Ps. Ixxxv. 10. Righteousness and peace meet together, in this sense, Rom. v. 1,2. " Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand: and rejoicp in hope of the glory of God,'^ Rom. V. 12. ** In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory," Isa. xlv. 25.— But till then there is small cause for glorying; all thy own righteousness is but a spark of thy own kindling, notwithstanding which, thou liest down in sorrow. Is it possible for thee to think of past sins and a future judgment, and the joints of thy knees not tremble, as Belshazzar's did ? But, (3.) Till we have called Jesus Christ the Lord our righteousness we are in a perilous, perishing condition. Christ's righteousness is to us as Noah's ark. How happy were Noah and all his that were in it, they all escaped. How miserable all the rest, though many: some climbing higher than others, nay, some that helped to frame the ark, yet they perished.
Consider, 2. The difficulty, nay, the impossibility, of being pardoned and justified, accepted and saved, in any other way, and the facility and easiness of obtaining it in this way. Set these also the one against the other.
(1.) It is impossible we should be accepted of God without a righteousness, one or other, because he is a righteous God; that is, he is of pure eyes, and, therefore, cannot endure to look upon iniquity, Ps.
APPENDIX.
V. 4; xi. 7. He is also jast and tnie to his word, bis threatening word. Now by that the curse is entailed upon every transgression, death is the wages of every sin; therefore, death and the curse must be undergone, or no pardon. The very natural conscience owns this. Whence else are all the qualms of fear and horror, which the wicked lie under? Besides, (2.) It is impossible that either our own righteousness, or the righteousness of any of our fellow-creatures, one or other, in hean or earth, should bear us out and bring us off before God. I say it is impossible, absolutely impossible— That our own should. For it is not to be called a righteousness. We have no such thing, Rom. iii. 9, 10. Righteousness is complete conformity to the righteous will and law of God. Where is that to be found? Nowhere on earth, Isa. Ixiv. 6. See Mic. vi. 6, &c.
It may be objected—Yea, but with the help of a little mercy it may do. I answer, Show me that scripture where pardon, and peace, and salvation, are promised to a mixture of a little of our righteousness and a little of God's mercy. It is im-possible-*
That any other creature** should. I mean, saint or angel, or what they call the church's treasure, made up of works of supererogation, done by men eminent for piety, in things good but not commanded, whereof the pope hath the key. (And who had the key lately, when for several months there was no pope.*) It is a mere fiction; Isa. Ixiii. 16. Ps. xlix. 7. But, On the other hand—How easy is it to obtain peace, and pardon, and salvation, by the merit and righteousness of the Lord Jesus, by calling him by this name. Easy, did I say ? mistake me not. I do not mean easy in itself, or easy to the power of nature. No, it is harder to believe in Christ for righteousness than to keep all the commandments, because keeping the commandments hath something in the heart of man agreeing with it, but so hath not the way of justification by faith, it being purely by revelation.—I mean easy to grace, easy where God is pleased to give a willing mind, as knowledge is easy to him that understandeth, Prov. xiv. 6. Matt, xi. 28—30. I John v. 3.—Easy; that is, it is a ready way to justification and salvation, whereas seeking it by our own righteousness is a round-about way. We can never while we live know in any other way that one sin is pardoned, because perseverance to the end is required.
It may be asked— ** If this be the only way, and such an easy, ready way, then what is the reason there are so few that walk in it; nay, what is the reason it is so scoffed and ridiculed as it is:
Pope Alexander VIll. died. Feb. 1,1691. HlssucceaBor, Cardinal
—It is called putative righteousness?" I answer.
The apostle, who was best studied in this pcuDt of any other teacher that ever was, speaking of tbe
Jews, who of all other people did most stumble at this stumbling-stone, gives two causes of their so doing: Their ignorance and their pride, Rom. x.a
They being ignorant of God*s righteoasneas, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have, not submitted themselves unto the righteoosness of God." The same are still the causes. I
Mtrance of Gods righteousness. Their minds are not enlightened to see that this is the way that God hath appointed, and that it is a sweet way, and a safe waj.
Lothness to let go their own righteousness. They would fain merit heaven for themselves. Tbet scorn to accept of it as a gift, or to sue for it as poor persons. Some who would be persuaded to leafe their sins, would not be persqaded to quit their doing so from being their righteousness, bat it will not be, Isa. xlvi. 12. He that will put on the Lord
Jesus Christ for justification, must put oflT himseif and all his own merit and righteousness, saying, None but Christ, none but Christ And if he alooe were not sufficient it were another matter. Is be not Jehovah our righteousness ? Hath not the Father said. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased ? O then be persuaded; and you that have called him by this name, call him so still. There are four special times and seasons when this should be done:
1. When we have done amiss, and are under guilt, and wrath threatens. And when is it not that it is so ? Every day. If you are not concerned, so much the worse. If made sensible, we shall cty out, O for a righteousness! Behold, here is one, Jesus Christ the righteous, " is the propitiation for our sins ; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." 1 John ii. 1, 2.
2. When we have well done, after some good work, and pride of heart rises, and we begin to expect from God as if we were something. No, Jesus Christ is the Lord my righteousness. I am an unprofitable servant when I have done all.
3. When we askany thing of God, ** Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you," John xiv. 23.
4. When we come to look death and judgment in the face, which will be shortiy; when sick and dying. O then for Christ, and his righteousness— it will be the cordial of cordials, I John I.
But observe this caution —Christ is not so oar righteousness, as* that we ourselves must not be righteous, and do righteously. We must be righteous, as if we were to be saved by it, and deny it, as having done nothing.
Pignatelli, was not elected till July ad. Rapio, vol. zvii. p. 909,2ie.
WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS.
27
SERMON IX.
CHRIST IS OUR LIGHT.
John xii. 46.
ctffne a light into the world, that whoioever believ-on me thouid (or might) not abide in darhness.
I not here only, but elsewhere, Id divers places ;ripture, that oar Lord Jesus is held forth under iotion of a light.
It is said, God is light, I John i. 5. No crea-hath the like resemblance to the divine nature, ght hath. He doth not only dwell in light, but light. Light is a pure, bright, clear, spiritual, ixed substance. God is infinitely so. Now s Christ, as God, is light God of gods, light of s, very (Jod of very God.
Bat the text speaks of him as coming into the <f, as God incarnate, God manifest in the flesh ; as such, it saith of him, nay, he saith it of him-
J am come a light; and why? to what end? i whosoever believeth in me should (or might) not e in darkness. 'ere are two Doctrines : he one—^That Jesus Christ is come a light into the Id. The other—^That now Jesus Christ is come a t into the world, those that believe in him do abide in darkness. Or rather thus, esus Christ is come a light into the world ; that ;ood news. It is one of his Old-Testament names, tfiat Cometh, Ps. cxviii. 26. compare Matt. xi. 3. s a truth now, that he is come; he that was to le is come.
. Jesus Christ is come a light into the world; a ndation and food; a root and raiment; our head I hope ; refuge and righteousness; and not only so, a light. This adds to the goodness of the news, 1 makes it better. What comfort could we take my thing we have without light ? I. Now Jesus Christ is come a light into the world, se tliat believe in him abide not in darhness, This is the best news of all, that the light doth not ne upon them in vain. They have eyes to see it, y have the comfort of it. )how, I. What kind of light Jesus Christ is. LI. What inferences we are to draw, from his being ne a light, such a light, into the world. [. What kind of light is. the Lord Jesus ? There are several kinds of light. There is glow-rm light, and rotten-wood light; fire light and Ddle light; star light and moon light: all these i lights. But there is one light more, that is far yond them all, and that is sun light; between lich, and the former, there is no comparison: and ait light Jesus Christ is—sun light. None of the rmer is the light of the world; only the sun is so.
Now Jesus Christ is t/ie light of the world, John viii. 13. Not only come a light into the world, but he is the light of the world.
It was prophesied of him, before he came, that he should arise a sun, Mai. iv. 2. Ps. Ixxxiv. 11.
It is expressly told of him, that he did arise accordingly as such when he did come, " The day-spring from on high hath visited us,'* Luke i. 78.—the sun-rising. John the Baptist was the morning star that came before him. Now sun light hath these properties:
1. It is glorious light. The most glorious in itself. The glory of it is such as the eye cannot behold, or look upon, without winking, or twinkling, 1 Cor. xv. 41. The beauty of glorified bodies is set forth by it for want of a better illustration, Matt. xiii. 43. So is represented Christ, in his transfiguration, Matt, xvii. 2. And is not Jesus Christ of all others the most glorious. His name is Michael. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, Ps. xlv. 2. Thou art fairer than the children of men. Cant v. 10. He is the standard-bearer. Col. i. 18. His is the pre-eminence. If you ask. In what ? I answer. In every thing that is excel-' lent. In all manner of perfections, wisdom, power, holiness, he is far exalted above all that is named both in heaven and earth. Every knee must bow to him, and every creature yield. Candles are not seen, no, nor stars, nor moon itself, when the sun shines; their light disappears: so are all other things eclipsed by the Saviour. O then let this advance your esteem of him more and more. You may think too highly of others, but not of him; either he will be uppermost, or nothing.
2. It is general light It shines every where, Ps. xix. 6. One sun serves all the world, nay, we are told, that all places have equally the same measure and proportion of the sun's presence with them every year, though not after the same manner. All have as much day as night, and as much night as day, which is certainly a contrivance of Infinite Wisdom, and it is to be adored in it. There is but one Christ, but that one is a universal Saviour to all the world ; so that all that are saved are saved by him alone, and by no other, 1 John ii. 2. When he sent forth his apostles to preach the gospel, see their commission, how large! " G3 ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,'' Mark xvi. 15. What the Psalmist says of the sun and its course, Paul applies to their preaching, Rom. x. 18. I cannot say, all the world hath alike the benefit of the gospel at this day; would to God it had. But to be sure we have it, and have long had it, Matt. iv. 16. For which we have cause to be very thankful. <* While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light," John xii. 36.
3. It is a fountain-light. What light the moon and the stars have, they derive it all from the sun. They have none of their own further than he com-
J
APPENDIX. manicates. So Jesas Christ is the spring-head and fountain from whence every good and perfect gift conies. Gifti of nature do all flow from him. " That was the tme light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world,*' John i. 2. So some understand that of the light ofreason which all men have: it is a ray from this snn—all learning, knowledge in arts and sciences, trades and manufactures. So also gifts of grace: " And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace," John i. 16. He is the author as well as finisher of faith, Heb. xii. 2. And, therefore, in all our wants we must have recourse to him; and in all our receivings we must give him the praise.
4. It is a free light. It costs us nothing. What is more free than the light; so what is more free than free grace, John iv. 10. the gft of God, Rom. ▼. 15. the free gift. So Christ is called, and justification by him. In this strain the promises, and calls, and invitations run, '* Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not ? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness,'* Isa. Iv. 1, 2. Rev. xxii. 17. Therefore ye are inexcusable if ye go without.
6. It is enlightening light The sun hath not its light for itself, but for the world, and it communicates it accordingly. It rises every morning, and dispels the darkness of the night, and shines all the day; and Tcry sweet and useful it is. Our sun Christ is an enlightening sun, Luke ii. 32. He finds us not only in the dark, but blind, Rev. iii. 17. even darkness itself. But he doth not leave us so. He opens blind eyes. That is more than the sun in the firmament doth or can do. Bring your eyes, and he vrill bring light; but eyes he gives not. But this sun gives eyes, Isa. xlii. 6, 7. He doth not only reveal the object, but repairs tlie faculty; he is a healing sun, Mai. iv. 2. In Rcy. iii. 18. we read of eye-eahe, and in 1 John ii. 20. of the unction, O pray for this, as Paul doth for the Ephesians, Eph. i. 17, 18. Pray, as the blind man- that came to Christ, for eye-sight.
6. It is increasing light In the morning, when the sun first rises, there are mists, and fogs, and clouds, which darken the air. But, by degrees, as the sun gets up, they vanish, and are gone, and anon noon-day comes. So it is with the souls that Christ enlightens, Prov. iv. 18. See Isa. xxx. 26. Our knowledge in the things of God is never perfect and complete while we live in this world, 1 Cor. xiii. 14. hereafter it will be: allude to Mark viii. 22.
(1.) We should therefore be humble in ourselves, not only because what we have we have received, but because if we receive bat little, it is Istikm in comparison with what we shall have. Pride understanding is a root sin.
(2.) We should be patient towards a&etu : judging, and censuring, and despising tli cause they see not what we do. We should na encourage and comfort them. Their light ak growing, Phil. iii. 15.
II. What inferences are to be drawn fnsfl subject
1. What a miserable condition then is a sis Cbristless condition! If Christ be the h^*^ those who are out of Christ are oat of the bi the Sun of righteousness be not risen upon tkj thou art benighted to this day. It may br n amongst us, and yet not be risen upon us. It shine in the places where we live, and yet i si into our hearts, 2 Cor. It. 6. Who can cbosse pity Egypt, where it was dark for three days; u more the northern parts, where it is daii {& i months: most of all the poor souls that bsfe in darkness all their days ; those who see luidi know nothing, and, which is worst of all, cite know nothing, in the things of Grod and of souls: nay, who hate the light, shut tbdr against it, and love darkness rather than John iii. 19, 20. How will such escape, that n against the light. Job xxiv. 13. saying, Depait i xxi. 14, as the Moors, that curse the rising sub ' godly man doth so. Where the least glimmenu saving light hath shined into the soul, it be desire after more and more of it; a love to the especially the word of God.
But wherein lies the misery of a blind and condition.
(1.) I answer. It is very uncomoriaUe. Ecci. 7. Light is sweet and pleasant, so is knovled the things of God. Ask those that have it, the; tell you that they would not be without it for a Prov. ii. 10. This pleasure thou hast none of. mons are like the white of an egg to thee, vi savour, without relish.
(2.) It is very unsafe. Thou hast a joumej to that will not be gone without light Then ait bs]| by-ways; it is easy to miss the right way: tfaey ^ it so that are most enlightened, much more ^* that have no light There are many gios, £s: snares, and pit-falls, there is great danger of hm caught; John xii. 36. ** He that walks indaitats knows not whither he goeth." He thinks beisg«is to heaven, and alas! he is going to hell.
(3.) Thou hast work to do that will not be a<w without light, nay, not without sun light SonKodi' nary works may be done by candle light bat DOttk& Thou hast a God to serve, a soul to save; whiek 3 needful work, Luke x. 42. and nice work, notts done by the light of nature or the power of nitait.
(4.) It is miserable here. Such are uinier ikt
WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS.
8 power at present, (who in this sense is the mler 3 darkness of this world, Eph. yi. 12.) and in ighway to the regions of eternal darkness, to companion with him for ever. Darkness and 1 go together, Isa. xlii. 7. Acts xxvi. 18. I It will be miserable hereafter. All this is 0 affect yoo with the misery of such a condition, et all is nothing till yoa are brought to make pplication to yourselves: Is not this my condi-—Rather are yon not ready to say, with the pha-t, John ix. 40. Are we blind aUo? Sure I am, we each of us bom blind.—Are we convinced of —Hath the light enlightened us so far?—If it the next query will be, when and how wast enlightened; thine eyes opened, the change ght ? If you do not know when or how, canst witness the thing itself, and say, as he, " One : I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see," ix. 25. It cannot be, but that one bom blind and wards seeing, must be sensible of a gnui alter-: though but little at first, yet more and more wards.
What an unspeakable mercy then was the ig of Christ to save us from all this misery; to light to lighten the world. We have cause to 1 God every day, for the light of the sun.—^What ingeon were the world without it 1 the moon all the stars, as many as they are, cannot do that one sun doth. So saints and angels, and all creatures put together, are nothing without St. Therefore thank God, above all, for the un-kable gift; especially if he be risen upon thy , if he have begun to make thee light in the 1, Eph. V. 8b This is certainly the mercy of ;ies; all is nothing without it. Though he have led thee with temporal blessings of all sorts,— tb, strength, wife, children, a plentiful estate ; all this were nothing, if he had not called thee of darkness into his marvellous light, Col. i. 13.
Of what concernment is it to us to come to ist, to be enlightened by him. Were you, any 9u, (which blessed be God you are not,) destitute •odily eye-sight, and I could tell you tidings of that could infallibly cure you, how welcome ild I be. Behold! I bring you tidings of one can euro your spiritual blindness. But then you t come to him, believe in him, as here; that toever believeth, that is, mixes faith with the reef the gospel, concerning him, his ability, and ingness to save; in the sight and sense of this dness and darkness, and the insufficiency of all !r remedies, betakes himself to him, craves help im, casts himself upon him, trusts in him, doth ie directs him, shall not abide in darkness.—As -*' Jesus said unto him. Go, wash in the pool of >ain. He went his way therefore, and washed, came seeing," John ix. 7. The direction was.
Go wash; —so I address you. Now what harm is there in all this ? Will it not be of unspeakable benefit and comfort to thy soul here, hereafter ? Behold he counsels thee; *' I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich ; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see," Rev. iii. 18. Behold he calls thee, Mark. x. 49. O let the call this day be an effectual call. Delay no longer; away quickly to the throne of grace, and beg for this eye-salve;—^to the means of grace, and seek it there.
4. What is to be done by those on whom this light is risen; I anwer,—As Christ is the light of the world, so ye also are the light of the world. He himself hath christened you with that name, " Ye are the light of the world, Matt v. 14. not the greater light that rales the day, he only is that; but—^the lesser lights. Then, (1.) Let your light ihine before menv* 16. hide not your candles under a bushel. Walk as children of the light, Eph. v. 8. Rom. xiii. 12, 13. 1 Thess. y. 6—8.
(2.) Let your light be growing and increasing more and more—especially concerning the evil of sin, the weakness of self, the excellency of Christ, the beauty of holiness, the vanity of this world, the reality of the other world.
SERMON X.
CHRIST IS OUR UPB.
COL. iii. 4.
When Christy who is our life, shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
There are three lessons to be learaed from these words:
1. That Christ is our life.
2. That Jesus Christ shall appear,
3. That when Christ shall appear all true believers shall appear with him in glory.
Our attention will be confined to one—(Christ is our life. You see it is plainly and expressly laid down here ; he that runs may read the truth of it And is he our life ? then how dear and precious should he be to us! Skin for skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life, yet how many are there that will give nothing for Christ, no not a lust for him ; a bad sign, he is not yet their life, for if he were, they would not part with him for a world, for a thousand worlds.
Show, I. In what sense Jesus Christ is our life. ao
APPENDIX.
II. What inferences may be drawn from it. I. In what sense is Jesos Christ oar life ? Life is three-fold; there is nataral life, spiritual life, and eternal life.
1. Nataral life, which is the life of the body flowing from its union with the soul: while soul and body are together, we live; when they part, we die. Now who brought them together, who keeps them together? Jesus Christ: then he is our natural life. Dent XXX. 20.
He is so as God blessed for eyer; it is in him that we live, and move, and have our being; he breathed into us the breath of life at first, Gen. ii. 7. he holds our soul in life, Ps. Ixvi. 9. In this sense he is our life, John i. 3, 4.
He is so also as God-man, the Mediator; we owe it to his intercession, that we are here alive this day: did not he interpose, we were gone. He is the dresser, Luke xiii. 7—9. Cut them doum saith justice. Let them alone, saith Jesus; and thence it is that we are Jet alone.
If a man be under a sentence of death, the friend that procures for him a reprieve, may well be said to be his life. Now that is our case,—and what pity is it, that so few consider it, that so few lay it to heart:— we live upon him, we cannot live without him, and yet we do not live to him.
2. Spiritual life, which is theiife of the soul flowing from its union with God. When God and the soul come together, the soul lives; when they part, it dies; thy soul is but the carcass of a soul, if it have not union with God. Now there is no union with God but by Jesus Christ; it is he alone that brings God and souls together. He is the Mediator, the Peace-maker. First, the two natures, God's nature and man's nature, were united in him, as God-man; then he took up the quarrel between their persons, and made peace. God and man could never have come together but for Christ; he is the bond of the union ; then he, and he only, is the life, John xiv. 6. no coming to the Father, that is, to union with the Father, hut by him.
By our natural life we live to one another, to mutual comfort and converse; by our spiritual life we live to God, and have converse with him, and he with us; which cannot be, unless we be alive to him, for he is not a God of the dead, but of the living. Now how are we made alive to God? Only through Jetus Christ, Rom. vi. 11.
It is he that begins spiritual life in us, Eph. ii. 1. Our natural condition is a dead condition, not only a dark condition, a blind condition, till he enlighten us, but a dead condition, till he quicken us. Many a man is blind that is not dead; bom blind, yet not born dead; but we are born both blind and dead. We are before him, as those dead and dry bones, Ezek. xxxvii, till he breathes upon us, by his word and Spirit; theiv we live, and not till then, Gal. iv. 10. He is said to be formed in us, tlut ii n come the soul of our souls; his Spirit dvd us, (which if KW have not, Rom* viii. 9. vr r* m of his,) is the same thing to oar souls, tfaatonsid are to our bodies—^the means, and way,aad phin of their living. As his human nature was (wssi the womb of the virgin by the Holy Gb<»t(ner-ii dowing her; so his divine nature is fomed is tv believing soul, 2 Pet. i. 4.. by the same Hoh Gi? over-shadowing them.
It is he that carries it on and oontinaes it W he hath breathed the life of grace into ss if should then leave us to live of ourselves, alis should die again presently, and therefore, be to it, when he hath bestowed it, to maiotaio az rish it, Heb. xii. 2. Ps. Ixvi. 9. Which hlM soul in life. This is true of life spiritual. We Preservation is a continued creation, John It is so with reference to grace; in him ve spiritually, and move spiritually, and have our spiritually; live, and move, and have oar bekc wards God. His flesh and blood is the food ot souls; except we eat of that, and drink of tbit believing, our souls can no more subsist, tbi: bodies can without meat and drink.
He is the keeper of our spiritual life, 1 Pet Adam had the keeping of his own, and lost it,ti devil cozened him of it; and so should we: ihm' he himself undertakes it, and it is well for osk:ii We are no good keepers of spiritual life, ve m ourselves keep life and soul together; it is be ai doth it every day.
3. Eternal life, which is the life ofbea Teo:! and spiritual life are for substance the same: ts difl*er in degree only. Life spiritual, the life of ^ is life eternal, the life of glory, begun; vsA i eternal, the life of glory, Js life spiritual, the iif grace, perfected.
They difi'er as the child's life and the man's ^ 1 Cor. xiii. 11, 12.
As the morning-sun from the noon-sun, ProT. ii
As the spring from the summer; the baddiori from the blown rose.
Now of this life Jesus Christ is,
1. The procurer and purchaser; he bought it n us, Heb. V. 9. It was the will of the Fathfr t'^-ti should come and bestow it on the remnant ^^^ 40,47: X. 10. He hath it, hath it already, tkatlv'i earnest of it, in his heart, the first-fmits of t: great harvest; or, he is as sure of it as if be ^ in his hand.
2. He is the life itself. Wherein consists tfae be piness of heaven?
In being with Jesus. This was it he promi ^ penitent thief, Luke xxiii. this was it thai Ps desired, Phil. i. To be with him so, as to seebimt enjoy him. It is sweet now to see him throa^--| lattices, through a glass darkly, in bis hoir
WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS. nances, what will it be then to see him face to face, to see him not afar off, but near ? Nnmb. xxiv. 17. not as another's, but as our own. Dives saw Abraham, and Lazarus in his bosom,—^but what the better.
In being like him. There is now a kind of rude draught of his image drawn upon the soul, but hereafter that draught shall be perfected, we shall be completely like bim: this follows upon the former, likeness—^upon vision.
Now, in the rude draught, 2 Cor. iii. 18. Hereafter, in the perfection, I John iii. 1,2. Like him in body, Phil. iii. 21. We shall appear with him—as here. Now, to speak properly, this is the life, and of this that saying of his is commonly interpreted, '* I am the way, the truth, and the life,'' John xiv. 6. As if he had said, I am my people's everlasting happiness, as God to Abraham, Geo. xv. 1. thy ret ward hereafter, thy shield here. The life hereafter in the other world, and the true way to it in this world; and what would we have more ? II. What may we infer from hence ? 1. If Christ be our life, then without Christ with-oat life;—Christless souls are lifeless souls, 1 John V. 12. I beseech you attend to what I say, it is about matters of life and death, and those are matters of great concernment, especially life and death spiritual, life and death eternal.
If ye have not Christ ye are dead men and women, for he is the life.
You are dead in law, under a sentence of death ; it is only to those that are in Christ Jesus that there is no condemnation, Rom. viii. I.—to others then there is. You are dead in state, void of spiritual life: This my son was dead, dead to his father; his father was all one as if he had no such son: so is thy case as to any duty or service. Now when did he begin to be otherwise? When became he alive?—^When he arose and came. Hast thou done so ? If not, thou art dead, dead to this day. If thou hast Christ thou didst receive him. But when? how? at what ordinance? by whose offer ? Perhaps thou art not able to tell, when first; but I ask, when at all ? Saints are often receiving him, but if never, how have him. We know when we received, that is, closed with, such a one as husband, wife, master, landlord, friend; and why not know when we received Christ as Prince and Saviour: for certain, they that received Christ have received the spirit of Christ, Gal. iv. 6. contra Rom. viii. 9. Now the Spirit is a Spirit of grace and supplication, sets the heart against sin, inclines to what is good; it is a law written in the heart O try! Will ye l>elieve a man is dead that hath neither breath, nor sense, nor motion; we reckon so, as to the body, and in like manner it is, as to the soul.
If there are no inward breathings towards God, no desires after him, no hearty praying, otherwise than in a cold, dead form rested in, the soul is dead. Crying is a sign of life.
If there are no spiritual senses exercised, seeing, hearing, tasting, feeling; no sense of burthen in sin, no taste of sweetness in the word of God, no sight of invisible things, no ear to hear the voice, either of word or rod; the soul is dead.
And so for motion; they that have received Christ Jesus the Lord, they walk in him: to them to live is Christ, as Phil. i. 21. They do all they do, that is good, in his name and strength, aiming to please him. Now, will ye bring your condition to this touchstone ? What say ye ? are you dead or alive ? You are alive with bodily life God be praised, but are you possessed of soul life? What life is there in the inward man ?
2. Then the way to live is to make Christ ours; the only way, there is no other. You would all live, would you not? I live in the world,—what else ? I mean, live to God now, and live with him hereafter. O then come to Christ, and close with him; he complains, we will not, John v. 40. And why will we not? Because we are not convinced, we do not understand, we do not believe; in a word, we vrill not, because we will not Two things should move us; The one is. The unspeakable misery of dead souls. See Eph. ii. 1,2,12. This now, and as for hereafter, they must be eternally dying.
The other is. The unspeakable happiness of living souls; they shall appear with Aim, who is their life: all must appear, but they in glory. You tell us we are dead, and yet you tell us we must come to Christ Can dead men come ?
I reply. Thou hast as much power as ever any had that lived before thee. What power had Lazarus when he came out of the grave at Christ's call ? The power went along with the call—Lasaros, come forth—and Lazarus came forth. Again, Thou canst pray to God to give thee the power, and when he hath given it, thou canst use and employ it; and who requires more ? Eph. v. 14. Is it objected. But I am an old sinner, and have been long dead; is there hope for me ? I answer, Lazarus had been long dead, yea, and buried, yet at Christ's word he lived. We read of two others raised by him—the ruler's daughter, newly dead; the widow's son, upon the bier;—signifying the several sorts of sinners spiritually dead,—some young; some middle-aged; some old. There is hope for each. Yet presume not, neither say, I will to-morrow, for to-morrow is none of ours: the uncertainty of the continuance of life natural, should make us hasten to secure life spiritual and life eternal.
3. Then you that are alive, remember how yon came to be so. You were not the authors of your own life, you had it from Christ, therefore let him have the glory of it; call him by this name every day. Lord Jesus, thou art my life. We can destroy ourselves, but we cannot help ourselves, Hos. xiii. 9. Eph. ii. 8. This should humble us, and lay us low. d2
APPENDIX.
4. Then to him we must go for all oar daily sop-pliesy for the support and maintenance of oar life; the same that began the good work mast perform and finish it; how oft doth David, Ps. cxix. pray, Quicken me, O Lord, O Lord, quicken me. He was alive certainly, bat being sensible of dulness, deadness, decays, he flies to God: so mast we; we mast excite, qaicken, onrselves, and exhort, qaicken, one another; yet after all, it is grace that qaickens.
6. We shoald bless God, both for the life we have and the life we hope for. See Isa. xxxviii. 19. Ps. Ivi. 12, 13. Had it been from death temporal only, we had caase for praise, bat much more for freedom from spiritual death. Encourage faith by it; he that hath done the greater will do the lesser, v. 13. Encourage patience by it under outward troubles, Ps. cx Yiii. 18.—not to damnation: see Lam.iii. 49.—a living man.
6. Then rest not in having life, but press after liveliness, Rev. iii. 1, 2. A. lively frame in our walking is an excellent frame, it rids work, brings something to pass in religion. See bow lively and active wicked men are.
SERMON XI.
CHRIST IS OUB PEACE.
Ephesians il. 14.
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle waU of partition between us.
This he here spoken of is certainly our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we that were sometimes afar off, are made nigh, v. 13. That which is said of him is, that he is our peace.
DocT. The Lord Jesus Christ is our peace.
I shall show in what sense, and how, we are to understand it, and what improvement we are to make of it.
Peace is three-fold: There is peace with God— peace within ourselves—and peace with one another.
And all these Jesus Christ is: our peace, not only a friend to it, but the thing itself; as our righteousness, our life, so our peace. He hath not only brought in a righteousness, an everlasting righteousness, but he himself is it. So he hath not only made peace, and proclaimed peace, but he is our peace. He not only gives us life, but is our life.
I. He is our peace with God.
When God made man at first there was perfect love and amity between them—God at peace with man; man at peace with God. They had sweet fellowship and converse one with another, walking together in the garden. But when Adam sinned, then, immediately, the quarrel began. Eating tk forbidden fruit broke the peace, and ever sincsetbeit hath been a quarrel.
A mutual quarrel. God an enemy to man ; man an enemy to God, Zech. xi. 8.
A universal quarrel. It is true of all the cbildrec of Adam, without exception, one as well as another, Eph. ii. 3.— children of wrath.
Passively, God is wrath with us.
Actively, we are wrath with God. As all men are enemies, so all man is enmity, Rom. tui. 7. The understanding, the will, the mind. Col. i. 21. Besides, This is a growing quarrel; it increases more and more by actual sin, Hos. iv. 1.—Omission—commission.
And on God's part it is a righteous qaanrel: be hath reason to be angry, and to be offended with us.
This appears if we look upon sin as a debt; and such it is. We are taught to pray, ForfTc us oor debts. Sinner, let me tell thee, thou art indebted to the God of heaven. [And he to thee; he owes thee a payment, Deut. vii. 10.] It may be thou art beforehand in the world, but thou art behind-band witk God. Thou owest him for all the talents thou hast received, and not improved, Matth. xxt. 14, &c ** I will recover my wool and my flax,'' Hos. ii. 9. t will recover; it is a law-term: it is mg wool mine still, as to the propriety, though given to you for your use.
It appears also if, we regard it as a trespass: Forgive us our trespasses. The divine law is given us, as a hedge, to keep us in compass. When we sis we leap the hedge; as in profaning the sabbath we rob God, encroach upon his time.
It appears further if we look upon sin as treason, high treason, against the crown and dignity of the God of heaven: an afiront to his majesty. It defies, despises, denies him.—*' And Pharaoh said. Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go," Exod. ▼. 2. This is the language of every viilfnl sin. But, It is the quarrel of a covenant. Lev. xxvi. 35.
Now, on man's part it is an unrighteous, unreasonable quarrel. He hath done nothing to deserve our enmity, Jer. ii. 4,5. John x. 32. And If it be not taken up, it is like to be an everlasting quarrel, like that with Amalek, Exod. xvii. 16. Other feuds death puts an end to, but here it is not so. Death brings the sinner into an endless state of misery and torment, where he is hating, and cursing, and blaspheming God, and God hating, and plagae-ing, and punfshing him to all eternity. O that this were seriously thought of by us! that we would lay it to heart, making applicadon each of us to ourselves—/ am the man; God hath a quarrel with nu; I am indebted; / have trespassed. Think tfaoa hearest him saying to thee, as to Ephesus, Rev. ii. 4. '* I have somewhat against thee."
WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS.
: is in reference to this quarrel that the Lord IS Christ is our peace* He interposes to take it and he hath taken it op npon terms agreed on. is the Mediator, 1 Tim. ii. 6. He is the Days-I, Job ix. 33. As he that steps between to make ce between two that are at variance, must deal 1 both parties, first with one, then with the other, lid he.
. He deals with God—^to atone and pacify him. ast have satisfaction, saith divine Justice, for the t that these creatures owe me, for the wrong that f have done me, so many oaths, lies, curses, so 13' sabbaths profaned, prayer neglected. Lord, It will satisfy? Blood? Heb. ix. 22. Death ? Gen. 17. Rom. vi. 23. Will any blood, any death, do W ill the blood of bulls and goats make amends ? U the death of rams and lambs satisfy? Nay, 1 the death of my first-bom? Mic. yi. 6, 7. No, lust be the blood of Go</, that the merit of it may >f infinite value;—and that God must be man too, t the nature that sinned may satisfy; the same ure. Now, where is that God-man that will un-take it? Lo, I come, says the blessed Jesus, ra-r than this quarrel shall continue, and divine tice be unatoned, and poor sinners everlastingly ish, Ps. xl. 6. I will be made a man, a man of rows, a poor man: 1 will suffer and die, die upon roe. Why, that will do, says God, let me have t, and I will be friends: and he had it, in the ful-is of time; he had it, and declared himself satis-1, Matt. iii. 17 ; xvii. 5. Do we understand this, ieve it, apply it? '* All things are of God, who Lh reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and 111 given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to t, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto tm; and hath committed unto us the word of re-iciliation,"2 Cor. v. 18, 19. S. Having done with God, he deals with man; iry coan, one by one ; not himself immediately, in own person, but by proxy. He sends his Spirit treat with us; and may I not safely say, he hath en one time or other treating with each of you, iking to persuade you? >What to do? Why, to friends with God, to lay down your enmity against n, and to be willing to bo reconciled, 2 Cor. v. 20. inisters are the Spirit's agents in this matter, and ly come and beseech you, and when they beseech o, God in them beseeches you. Now some are evailed with, blessed be God: "You that were metime alienated, iftnd enemies in your mind by eked works, yet now hath he reconciled," Col. i. 21. lore is a certain now of reconciliation one time or her in our lives, sooner or later ; and they are they at can say, he is our peace, he hath made both one, ought God and us together, hroken down the par-(ton wall. Some may ask—What is that partition wall ?
On God's side the guilt of sin is it; till that be satisfied for, he cannot be friends. This is broken down by Christ dying.
On our part the corrupt nature is it, the carnal, stubborn will. Till that be subdued, the heart of stone turned into a heart of flesh, we will never be friends, we cannot. Now that is broken down by renewing grace. The Spirit of God in the work of regeneration and sanctification makes the change, turns the world upside down in the man, opens his blind eyes, softens his hard heart; of a stranger, brings him acquainted ; of an enemy, makes him a friend. Now this work of making peace, bringing God and man together, is.
Necessary work. Work that must be done, or we are undone ; it is the one thing needful, and there is reason it should be done quickly, because of the uncertainty of time, and the greater uncertainty of opportunity, Luke xix. 41.
// is work that tio one else can do, but he only that is our peace. The papists grant there is but one mediator of reconciliation, though there be many of intercession ; but we know but one, both of intercession and reconciliation, and Jesus is he.
It is work that he hath done for some, I hope some of you. Are ye not friends, reconciled ?
It is work that he would do for all. It is not because of him that any perish ; he calls, invites, entreats, persuades. Rev. iii. 20. Matt, xxiii. 37. Isa. xlv. 22. O suffer yourselves to be prevailed with by him. Say, Lord, I yield, I will stand it out no longer. Many arguments may be used to move us to be friends with God, and to make Jesus Christ our peace. In order thereunto, Consider, 1. That there is no standing out against him, no fighting it out with him; he will certainly be too hard for us.
His arm is a long arm; therefore he can reach us wherever we are. There is no hiding ourselves from him. Besides his sword, he hath a bow and arrows, Ps. vii. 12, 13.
His arm is a strong arm; mighty, almighty, as to save, so to destroy;—therefore the blow, when it falls wherever it lights, will be accordingly, 1 Cor. x< 22, Heb. X. 31. O that this were considered, "Who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle ? I would go through them, I would burn them together," Isa. xxvii. 4. By briers and thorns is meant, —^the sinner himself, who is no more able to abide his wrath, than briers and thorns a fire; and—all those uninstituted ways and means which men have invented to themselves, towards making peace. All our own righteousness, penances, pilgrimages; they are all utterly insufficient for this purpose.
Consider, 2. He is willing, freely willing, to become friends, Isa. xxvii. 4. Fury is not in me, and, V. 5. Let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me.
APPENDIX.
By strength is meant the Lord Jesus Christ, the arm of God, the power of God; so called, not only because by him he made the world—as the word — but because had it not been for his mediation he had been weak, as it were, could not, consistently with his honour and justice, bave forgiven sin; but now it is otherwise.
By laying hold is meant believins. Faith in Christ is the souTs laying hold upon Christ, as Joab on the horns of the altar, as a sinking man on a cord cast out;—as when a blow is threatened on the arm, that holds the weapon, which prevents striking, so this laying hold prevents the stroke of justice. Now, shall we thus lay hold on the blessed Jesus, plead his undertaking? Say, Lord, be friends with me, for Christ hath died, and made peace.
Consider, 3. That until this be done, we are certainly miserable, for God is our enemy; either friend or foe, that is certain. If God be our enemy, all that is in God is our enemy; all the creatures are our enemies, waiting only for orders.
Consider, 4. If this be done, we are made for ever. This is Eiiphas' argument to Job, eh, xxii. 21. Good thall come unto thee; all good—temporal, spiritual, and eternal.
Now there are certain nwrht by which to know whether Christ be our peace towards God.
1. Have we thus laid hold on him by believing, accepted of him, yielded ourselves to him with unfeigned consent and assent, renouncing all other? If so, thy peace is made, the partition-wall is broken down, thou mayst go with boldness to the throne of grace, and sue out thy pardon, and take the comfort of it, Rom. V. 1, 2.
2. What is sin to us ? If Christ be our peace, sin is our trouble, lies heavy as a burthen ; it is felt and bewailed every day.
If God be made our friend, through Christ our peace, sin is looked upon as an enemy, and hated, and pursued, and watched against accordingly. Time was when it had the entertainment of a friend, an inmate ; the doors were open to it, it was heartily welcome ; provision was made for it. Is it otherwise now? 2Kingsix.22.
3. If Christ be our peace, he hath not only reconciled God to us, but us also to God, and to all that is his ; his name, his glory, his word, his day, his people ;—for their relation' sake to him—because they bear his image.
4. If Christ be our peace, and have made peace, there is always care to keep the peace. If any new matter of controversy arise, as soon as the heart smites, which it will do quickly, and we are made sensible of it, there will be no rest in the spirit, till the divine favour be recovered again. Guilt in the soul is like a mote in the eye, not at ease till wept out.
It uses to be so among friends.—Now, try bj lia marks. Many think all is well whenit is notso; mkr doubt when there is no cause; therefore, extB:s&
II. Christ is our peace vnth one another.
It were a desirable thing that all who fear God.:: the land, in the neighbourhood, were at peaee an Hit themselves; for as for peace with wicked mes. •: will never be while the world stands; the Mtd «' the serpent, of the bond-woman, will hate, will pev> cute the seed of the woman—the free wobib ; bt and water will as soon be reconciled as these tit seeds. But how happy were it if all good pet were at peace, if all their enmities were at an enj' The Saviour left this blessing as a lecy, Johaur pressed it, John xv. prayed for it, John xvii.
The only mean of it is Jesus Christ. The icr of the text leads to understand it of the anion ie between Jew and Gentile, at mortal feeds bcfiic. but reconciled in Christ.—^And how ?
1. By his becoming a common Savrioar tokH It was his object to " reconcile both onto God a one body by the cross, having slain the enmity tkm> by," Eph. ii. 16.
2. By breaking down the wall of partition; ^I was, the ceremonial law, which he put an end to ^ his death, Eph. ii. 15.
3. By begetting in their hearts, by his Holy Sfii-rit, a dear and entire love one towards another. 1* in his ministry he preached it, and pressed iU se If his grace he works it. This was a great matter «ta fi rst accomplished. Now he that hath reconciled t? enmity, and made peace, can certainly reconcile tr other, for none was ever greater than it: tktr amongst ourselves are nothing to iL Let us aff K ourselves to him then, and pray **for the peace (^ Jerusalem ; they shall prosper that love thee.*'
Pray—That the wall of partition may be brelQ down—with in, without; unwarrantable, nnscriptsa! impositions without; and uncharitable, anchristai dispositions within.
by his Spirit and grace he woald \M and join us together in brotherly love, which b 'k bond of perfectness. Something hath been doe-and is in the doing, towards it; all other names b aside—^this one taken up—the united brethren. Fv-merly a book called the Protestant Reconciler m publicly burned; now the king* declares himself soci
III. Christ is our peace within ourselves, id oei own bosom.
We commonly call this peace of conscience. ^ is an inward, sedate, composed, cbeerfol fnat ^ spirit, at all times and in all conditions. Nov.tif blessed Jesus is this also; if the first, the third. ^ it is the result and product of it When all is c\as between us and heaven, how can it be bnt there me be joy in the Holy Ghost, or if not that, yet, howf*?^
• William la
WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS.
Gtce, quietness ? The noise of trouble is withoat, icah ▼. 5. ** This man shall be the peace."—^His ing man laid the foandation, Heb. this man, viz. the jstrious person described in v. 4. He not only gives ace, as a legacy, but is the peace.—Therefore, if want peace, we must go to him. If we have it, us give him the praise. It is called rest, and to n we must come for it. Matt. xi. 28, 29.
SERMON XII.
CHRIST IS OUR PASSOVER.
1 CoR. V. 7, 8.
w even Christ our patsover it sacrificed for us: let us therefore heep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with theunleavenedbreadof sincerity and truth.
IE RE are two things in these words : Che one a doctrinal position or assertion, containing it the marrow or sweetness of the whole gospel: yr even Christ our passover is sacrificedfor us. The other a practical inference drawn from it, way of use and application : Let us therefore keep 3 feast, &c. The former branches itself into three propositions:
1. Chnai \s OVLT passover.
2. Christ our passover is sacrificed.
3. Christ our passover is sacri Oced/or us. So also doth the latter:
1. Therefore we must keep the feast.
2. Therefore not with old leaven, nor with the leaven malice.
3. Therefore with the unleavened bread of sincerity H truth. Here were work for many sabbaths. I all be brief on each.
Under the first head, the doctrine is, I. Christ is our passover.
The passover was a yearly feast among the Jews, •pointed of God in remembrance of the destrojring igel passing over the houses of the Israelites when e first-born were slain in the houses of the Egypins. Now Christ is not the feast, but forasmuch there was a command about a lamb, called the ischai lamb, concerning which there were sundry tes and ceremonies enjoined to be observed, }sos Christ is that lamb, that paschal lamb, called r a figure here, the passover. That lamb was a type ' Christ. He is our paschal lamb, John i. 29. Behold e Lamb of God, as John the Baptist said, pointing him with his finger.
Now, a lamb was the fittest creature that could ; to be a type of Christ, both in respect of harm-ssness, and also of usefulness. None more patient, none more profitable, than a lamb. So Christ, Isa. liii. 7.
But it may be asked, what kind of lamb is referred to?
I answer. It was a male lamb, to note his vigour and strength. And it was a lamb without blemish, signifying his absolute purity and perfection, 1 Pet. i. 19. In Christ there was no defect or distortion* no spot or deformity. So also it was a lamb of a year old; in the Hebrew it is the son of a year; a lamb in its prime, as we say. Now our Lord Jesus died in the prime of his age, between thirty and forty.
What, it may be inquired, was to be done to the lamb?
It was to be separated from the rest of the flock, and kept apart four days before. So Christ was chosen out of the people, and set apart from all eternity in the decree and counsel of God, to be a prince and a Saviour. It was also to be killed. So was Christ, he must die not a natural, but a violent, death, not in his bed but upon a tree, by the hand of violence ; and that death of his is our life. Besides, the time of killing it was in the evening. So Christ suffered in the evening of the day, about three o'clock, at the time of tlie evening sacrifice. And he suffered in the evening of the world, 1 Pet i. 20. Towards the latter end of the fourth day, that is, the four thousandth year from the creation.
But the main matter was, what they were to do with the blood, and with the flesh. As for the bones, they were commanded not to break one of them; which was accordingly fulfilled literally in our pass-over, John xix. 33—36. signifying, that notwithstanding his dying, he remained still able to save, even to the utmost.
As for the blood: they were to put it into a basin, with a bunch of hyssop to sprinkle it upon the doorposts of each house ; and when the destroying angel came to destroy where the blood was, it was a warning to him that there was no first-born to be meddled with in that house, and so he passed them over.
Now our passover is Christ. And,
1. The death he died was a bloody death; and it was well it was, for without blood there could be no redemption, no remission.
2. This blood of his we are to sprinkle by faith upon the door-posts of our souls, that is, we are to make a believing application of it to ourselves: who loved me and gave himself for me. We are commanded to do this; it is our duty to do it; we sin if we do not do it. We must believe that he is both able and willing to save, to save us, thee and me, and thereupon to close vrith him as our Saviour.
3. Wherever this is done the destroying angel, that is, the justice of God, the curse of the law, the divine threatenings, the divine executioners, the avengers of blood, have nothing to do; the blood atones and pacifies. Here dwells a believer, one that APPENDIX. hath an interest in Christ, not in common only, but in special; away, away, meddle not here.
Now is this done, brethren ? is Christ your pass-over ? is his blood sprinkled on your souls ?
If not, sprinkle it quickly; yon know not how near the destroyer may be. Death may be, perhaps, at the next house.
If it be done, in God's name take the comfort of it, Rom. Tiii. 1; v. 9. Also, make it appear it is so, by your loving him, and living to him. The blood was to be upon the door-posts, visible to all that passed by, Rom. x. 10. But, As for the flesh : they were to roast it, and when they had done, to eat it with bitter herbs, with their loins girt, and their staves in their hand.
Now all this had a spiritual meaning in it: our passover is Christ.
1. The roasting signified his inexpressible sufferings which be did undergo at his death. Was ever sorrow like his sorrow.
2. Our eating of it is by believing. Faith feeds upon Christ dying. As the mouth eats meat when it chews it, as the stomach receives and digests it, whereby the body is nourished and strengthened; so the believing soul feeds npon Christ See John vi.
Once eating in a man's life doth not do. We eat often; so we must be often feeding by faith upon Jesus Christ: yesterday's meat will not do to-day's work.
3. They were to eat it with bitter herbs. Those bitter herbs to us are godly sorrow for sin : they that truly believe are penitent, they also mourn for sin, Zcch. xii. 10. If you believe, and have never mourned for sin, suspect that faith. It is said the herbs were made into a thick sauce, to mind them of the clay that they made bricks with.
4. They were to eat with tiieir loins girt, and their staves in their hands ; which is the posture—of servants, girt for their work, Luke xii. 35, 36. We should be ready to every divine call, Ps. xxvii. 8. And—of travellers fitted out for a journey. They were out of Egypt, bound for Canaan, but a wilderness was in their way; so we are travellers to the heavenly Jerusalem. " Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus."
II. Christ our passover was sacrificed. The Jews, by God's appointment, had several sorts of sacrifices or offerings. Some were bloody, as their burnt-offerings, peace-offerings, sin-offerings, trespass-offerings. Others were unbloody, as their meat-offerings, drink-offerings, of flour, wine, oil, &c.
Now Christ our passover was a bloody sacrifice ; his life went for it; he made his body an offering. he made his soul an offering, and the design ttevtf was to make peace.
III. Christ was sacrificed/or «#•
Not only for our good, to set before as an twiA pie, but in our stead. By right we shoald bn* been sacrificed; No, saith he, let me betbesacrigt and let these go their way. We are the Isaacs )e the ram. O what love was there in this! ham sIioiM it for ever engage our hearts to him !
Under the second head the doctrine is.
I. Therefore let us keep the feast.
What feast ? Not the feast of Easter ; we kiwvr* snch scriptural institution ; each sabbath day i« * t Easter day; a day sanctified, and set apart for tire membrance of our redemption finished by Clir on his resurrection day, the first day of the week.
But there is mention made of Easter in Acts m.^ I consider that the Jewish passover is oieant .* fcTr is not likely Herod should owe such respect to i Christian festival. -
But the keeping of Easter is ancient in the charck I answer, It was so, but the Scriptarea are nN>^: ancient
Not the feast of the Lord's supper ; thoab. h ^ true, that is a feast, and a feast upon a sacrifice, as/ a feast that we ought all to keep, and to keep as k?t appointed; we are guilty of a sin of omissioe' we do not. But, By the feast here, I understand, rather, the vb: course of our conversation in this world; it is b'rt one word—let us feast it then; that is, let us ici heartily and plentifully upon this blessed Lamb, b poorly and sparingly. We onght every day to fe&< our souls upon Jesus Christ; upon his merit \l. righteousness, upon his flesh and blood spiritoaL't. upon his word, his promises, the manna, the biddn manna. I say, every day, by fresh acts of farf Cant V. 1,2. Not on sabbath days only, or sam ment days only, but etery day —it is oor own fac if we do not, Luke xvi. 19. And, which fol}ov« upon the former, let u% feast it, that is, rejoice in t Lord always, Ecrl. x. 10.
Mirth is two-fold. There is vara, earmal wfi(< expressing itself in vain, frothy discoarsc, jokr: and jesting, which are not convenient, in yoolbfei frolics, drinking, and dancing; enough of this, as-' too much, every where.
There is. also, sober, serious, holy mirik ; spuitas joy, called joy in God, terminating in him as tV immediate object of it; and this the word cslts t> again and again, Phil. iii. I ; iv. 4. It stands i: opposition to a lumpish, heavy, drooping, mehf-choly spirit and behaviour, which prevails oftenti?'^ even over the best, but they should chide themst-l for it, as David, Ps. xlii. and xliii. Consider,
1. A sorrowful frame of heart is a grief to <>■ Spirit of God, whose ofllce it is to comfort us.
WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS. discourages standers by, lays a stumbling block— as the evil spies.
3. It is weakening to ourselves. If tbe joy of the liord is our strength, Neb. viii. 10. as oil to the wheels, then a contrary frame of spirit causes us to drive heavily in duty. Remember but this one word, and believingly apply it, Christ our passover is sacri-fictd for us, and see if it will not thence .follow— therefore let us feast it. O how glad were the poor Israelites to be gotten out of Egypt! At passover time they made all outward shows imaginable of great joy and rejoicing.
II. Therefore not iviih the old leaven neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness. Allusion is here made to another of the appointments at the Jewish passover, which was, that they should eat no bread "with leaven in it during all the seven days that the passover lasted: and very strict they were in it, searching with candles, cursing themselves if they knew of any crumb kept, or hidden any where.
Now this the apostle applies here to naughty persons ; he writes to have the incestuous church-member cast oiit by the censure of excommunication. Why so? Because he is like leaven, and leaven will spread, I Cor. v. 6. Guilt is infectious, therefore put him from among you. It ought still to be so amongst those that own Christ for their passover, 2 Thess. iii. 6.
He applies it also to naughty things, malice and wickedness. Those that call Christ their passover must not be mtdicious must not be wicked. Malice is inveterate anger, and wrath, and hatred towards any person. Away with it, it is leaven, it sours the spirit of him in whom it is; sours his duties, God cares not for them. No leaven was to be mixed with any sacrifice, Lev. ii. 11. Malice sours the converse, exposes to manifold temptations, Sph. iv. 26, 27. It makes a man in God's account a murderer, 1 John iii. 15. Therefore, I beseech you all, as ever you expect benefit by Christ's sacrifice for you, purge out this leaven, Eph. iv. 31, 32; v. 1.
So likewise for wickedness. This is a general word, including all manner of allowed wilful sin; away with it, 2 Tim. ii. 19. There is good reason why you should. Is Christ the minister of sin ? Did he die to obtain leave and liberty for us to live in sin ? God forbid ! We cannot think so, but rather the contrary, 2 Cor. v. 14, 16. 1 Pet ii. 24.
III. But with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. There is another thing compared in Scripture to leaven, which all they that keep the gospel pass-over must put away, and that is, hypocrisy, Luke xii. 1. Away with it, it will spoil all.
We must not be hypocrites, nor do any thing we do in hypocrisy; even disciples must beware of this. It is the cry of the world against us that we are such, but let us approve ourselves to God that we are not sucb, and then no matter.
We must not have a form of godliness without the power.
Nor a name to live without being alive indeed.
We must not do what we do to be seen of men.
We mu9t not draw near to God with our mouths, when our hearts are far from him.
We must not make clean the outside and be careless what is within.
We must not look one way and row another, as Jehu did.
Suspect this evil; search for it; watch and pray against it. Contrary to all this is sincerity and truth; they difi'er like shadow and substance, like the picture of a man and a man.
It was the saying of one,—I know no religion but sincerity, John i. 14. It is the condition of the new covenant, Gen. xvii. 1. It will be our comfort and joy, 2 Cor. i. 12. Our strength and preservation, **Tbe integrity of the upright shall guide them,*' Prov. xi. 3. " Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait on thee," Ps. xxv. 21.
SERMON XIIL
CHRIST IS OUR PORTION.
Lam. iii. 24.
The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
There are several sayings in Scripture, both which men have said to their souls, and which their souls have said to them.
1. Which men have said to their souls.
Bad men— Soul, take thine ease, Luke xii. That was a naughty sayirrg.
Good men—chiding sayings— Why art thou cast down, O my soul ? Ps. xlii. and xliii.
Comforting sayings— Return unto thy rest, O my soul, Ps. cxvi.
Exciting sayings— Bless the Lord, O my soul, Ps.
2. Which their souls have said to them.
Among the rest, this is one. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. Where we have two things : I. A doctrinal position or assertion. The Lord, that is, the Lord Jesus is a believer's portion.
II. A practical inference ; Therefore will I Itope in him.
In this method I shall handle it.
1. For the doctrine—The Lord Jesus Christ is a believer's portion.
I shall show, 1. The meaning of the word.
2. What in Christ is that portion; and, APPENDIX.
For the firtt, — The meaning of the word. The word portion is sometimes takeu for a piece or part of a tiling, be it a less part or a bigger part
Sometimes not for a part but the whole. We call our all our portion ; all we have to trust to, to live upon. Such a one hath so much, or so much for her portion; provision made for her by her father. Now our heavenly Father hath made comfortable provision, set by a competent portion for every child of his, and that portion is Christ. He hath not divided Christ among them, given a part of him to one, and a part of him to another. Is Christ divided ? No ; but he hath given him all, all wholly and entirely to each one of them, so that each one may say, all Christ is mine, mine to all intents and purposes.
" The Lord,'' said the Psalmist,'' is the portion of mine inheritance," Ps. xvi. 5. Instead of lands and livings assigned to us, he hath assigned Christ to us, as the Levites and priests were to have no other inheritance than the Lord, Numb, xviii. 20. So it is now. Wc arc heirs of God, Rom. viii. 17: His testimonies are our heritage, Ps. cxix. 111. Such a promise as that, Heb. xiii. 5. is better worth than a thousand a year; ** I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."
The Psalmist adds,—" and of my cup," alluding to feasts, where each one had his mess of meat set by his cup-side, and that was his portion for that time, Gen. xliii. 34. 1 Sam. i. 4, 6. Now, the Lord is the portion of every good mans cup, the mess he is to feed upon ; and a worthy mess he is, his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed. Wicked men have a cup too, and the portion of a cup ; and what is it ?— ** Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest; this shall be the portion of their cup," Ps. xi. 6. O fear and tremble lest this be your cup and your portion.
For the second, — What in Christ is a believer's portion ?
All that he is, and all that he hath, both as God, and as God-man.
1. As God. All his wisdom, and power, and goodness is theirs. I say theirs, to be employed for their best benefit and advantage.
2. As God-man; as Mediator.
His merit and righteousness is theirs for justification ; his blood for reconciliation ; his sufferings and death to make atonement.
His Spirit and grace are theirs for sanctification ; of his fulness they receive, John i. 16.
His comforts are theirs, to revive and refresh them when they are sad and drooping, Isa. 1.4. When the three young men were in the fiery furnace the Son of God was there; as, at another time, with a handkerchief wiping off sweat, and blood, and tears.
His word is for their guidance and direction in all their doubts and difficulties, like the pillar of cloud and fire.
His presence is theirs, for their preservation ud protection in all their perils and dangers. Gen. xt. 1.
His crown, and throne, and kingdom are tbein, eternally to reward them. Rev. iii. 21.
For the third,^ What hind of portion is Christ ?
In general, he is a toorthy portion—allosioD to 1 Sam. ]. 6.—that is, a dainty, delicate portico, excelling all other; none like it, worthy of all acceptation, that is to be readily accepted of, and closed with by each of us as soon as offered.
But in particular he is,
1. A soul portion^-as here. He is my portion, saitb my soul. The portion of my hearty Ps. Ixxiti. 26. of my spirit, my inner man. The body with man; people is well provided for, hath a large prntioo, whose soul in the mean time hath just nothing. .4h poor soul! the beily full, Ps. xvii. 14. the bami full, Luke xii. 19. the coffers full, but the soqI empty and unprovided for. The rich man was clothed, Luke xvi. 19. These were bis pood things, V, 25. his portion. Christ alone can be a sool's portion, because he alone can answer the necessities and needs, the desires and expectations, of a soul. Four things we want, which the whole creatioo bath not for us, but he hath them all, and hath them abundantly, 1 Cor. i. 30.—wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.—Concerning the fi Tsiy wisdom. Job makes hue and cry, and returns answer, nonest inventus —if cannot befomnd Job xx Tiii. 12, 14—28. The same is true of the rest Bot in Christ they are to be had.
2. A sufficient portion. There is enough in him. enough and enough agin to make ns all happj. Merit enough, Spirit enough, grace enough, gioij enough. He if £1-Shaddai—God tbat is enoogh, Gen. xvii. 1.
3. A satisfying portion. The soul that hath hin will own and acknowledge it hath enough, Ps. cxvi 7. There is many a man who hath plentiful provision for this world, and yet is still thirsting afWr more; like the daughters of the horseleech, cryinf, Give, give, Eccl. v. 10. The reason is, God never put it into them to be our portion ; if he had they should have satisfied; but he hath put it into Christ to satisfy, John iv. 13, 14. Not but that there ait still desires after more, yet there is satisfaction with what is, nay, ** They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house," Ps. xxxvi. 8. " As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness," Ps. xvii. 15.
4. A sweet portion—exceedingly pleasant asd delightful. It doth not' only satisfy the soul tbat hatli it, but fills it with joy unspeakable, and foil of glory, Ps. xvi. 5, 6. It is a Canaan portion, which was a land flowing with milk and honey.
WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS.
How sweet is tbe knowledge of Christ and gospel mysteries to the understanding part! Phil. iii. 7, 8.
How sweet are the communications of his love and favour to the affecting part of the soul! Ps. iv. 6, 7. Cant ii. 3.
5. A suitable portion. If it were not suitable it iirould not be sweet; if not proper not pleasant. All the comfort of marriage depends upon suitableness. Christ is a meet-help. Gen. ii.
C. A sure portion. We cannot say concerning nny portion we have in this world, it is a sure portion. Many a child that hath thought himself or herself secure enough, that their portion hath been in good hands, in process of time, it hath proved otherwise, either through death or deceit, or some miscarriage or other. But a Christian's portion, which is Christ, is to be sure in a good hand, Isa. Iv. 3.
A part in Christ is, therefore, a good part, nay, the best part, because it cannot be taken away from us.
One thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her," Luke x. 42.— thatt not is a sweet word, and because Truth hath said it, I am bound to believe it.—" It shall not be taken away."
It shall not while we live. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance: it is secured by the promise, and oath, and power of God.
We shall not waste it ourselves, as the prodigal son did his, and Adam his.
Neither men nor devils shall wrest it from us, John X. 28. It implies they will be trying, and endeavouring, but in vain.
// shall not when we die. If other portions be not taken from ns, we must from them; but '* I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Tt shall not to eternity. It is a lasting, everlasting portion. " God is my portion for ever," Ps. Ixxiii. 2G.—for ever—a sweet word.
II. We notice the inferences to be drawn from hence, and the improvement we are to make of it.
1. Then it follows that Christ is a rich Christ, who hath wherewithal to portion such abundance of people, as in all ages and generations have been portioned by him. The apostle calls it the unsearchable riches of Christ, Eph. iii. 8. He is a bottomless mine of merit and spirit; a boundless ocean of righteousness and strength ; a full fountain of grace and comfort In him are hid all the treasures of ivisdom and knowledge. That may be said of him that can be said of no other, he hath a store that can never be emptied. O how should this endear him to us! how shoald it draw out oar thoughts and meditations into holy adonngs of him! as Cant. v. 9, 10.
2. Then all that are true believers are really and truly rich people. I do not mean rich in the world; they are many of them far from that, poor day-labourers, poor servants in poor families; but I mean, rich towards God, rich in his account and esteem, Luke xii. 21. Jam. ii. 5. We read in Luke xvi. of a poor beggar called Lazarus, a godly man. And was he indeed poor that, when he died, was carried into Abraham's bosom ? Would you choose his condition, or the rich man's ? We are bid, Ps. xlviii. to walk about Zion. So walk about a believer's portion—count his bags, his coffers, his fields; tbe grace he hath, the peace, the hope he hath ; and then tell me, if he be not a rich man. Job was once the richest man in the world, but on a sudden all was gone.—No, his grace remained with him, his patience, his faith, his hope.
3. Then how much doth it concern us all to make this portion ours.
May we do so ? We certainly may, each of us.
But how ? By a sincere, hearty, deliberate choice of it. Choose it, and thou shalt have it. Thus Mary did, Luke x. 42. " Mary hath chosen the good part''
Now choosing one thing implies refusing another.
We must refuse every thing else that you can name, and say of it, this is no portion for mc.
As, the pleasures of sin are not; a merry, jovial, sensual, flesh-pleasing life, is not; merry company is not; wine and music are not; strong drink is not; rioting and drunkenness, chambering and wantonness, are not. Away with these then, they are no portion for thy soul.
And, the riches and honours of the world are not; gold and silver are not; houses and lands are not; mammon is not; preferment is not: therefore covet them not, sit loose to them, live above them.
Further, our own merit and righteousness is not. It is a garment too narrow to cover us, a bed too short to stretch ourselves on ; therefore we must deny it, not trust to it, not rely on it
What then must we take to ?
To Christ, and to him only; choose him: that is, we must cordially accept of him upon the terms on which he is offered ; come to him, roll ourselves upon him, assent and consent to his laws and government, saying, None but Christ, none but Christ. None but Christ, to justify, sanctify, rule, save me. None but Christ, to be my Prophet, my Priest, my King. It is a sign God has chosen us for his portion, when we have chosen him, Deut xxxii. 9. Zech. ii. 12. Thus Moses, Heb. xi. 24—26. Here was, first refusing, then choosing; he weighed both in impartial scales, and upon mature deliberation took to that which he believed best Something of that kind must be done in like manner by each of us. Though we have not such great things to refuse as he had, yet if we refuse
APPENDIX. what we have, and choose Christ, he becomes onr portion. Now is this done ? have we thus refused, have we thus chosen ? If we have, blessed and happy are we ! If not, do it quickly, do it this day, do it now. Let thy soul say, Lord Jesus thou art, and shalt be, my portion; let others choose as they list, my sister Martha as she pleases, to be cumbered with much serving, this is my choice. Tell God so, as David, ** Thou art my portion, O Lord,^' Ps. cxix. 57. John xxi. 15.
There are four sorts of persons, who should especially hearken to this motion.
(1.) Those that are young. The days of your youth are the days of your choice, your choosing days. Now choose Christ, Eccl. xii. 1.
(2.) Those that are poor, and low in the world. Thy father perhaps left thee but a small portion, it may be, ten or twenty pounds ; it may be, fifty or a hundred pounds; aye, but thy heavenly Father hath provided a rich portion for thee. He hath given his Son to be thy portion, and wilt thou say, I am well as I am, I will have none of him ? The less we have on earth the more need there is to make heaven sure; lest we should be doubly poor, poor here, and for ever miserable.
(3.) Those that are convinced, whose eyes are in some measure opened, whose hearts God hath touched. You are specially concerned, for if you fail of Christ for your portion, when almost persuaded not far from the kingdom, how sad will it be! to go to hell by heaven's gates, like the foolish virgins! Therefore choose, choose, I beseech you.
(4.) Those that have children. Gen. xvii. 7. I will be a God unto thee, and to thy seed—by entail—upon the same terms.
5. Then if Christ be our portion, and we can make out our title upon good grounds, and that we have thus chosen, then it is our duty to hope in him; as here, '* Therefore will I hope in him," rely upon him, trust to him. People are used to do so in that which is their portion. I have a hundred pounds, says one, to live upon ; another, I have two hundred; if the worst come to the worst that will maintain me. Is Christ thy portion ? Nay, but is he so indeed ? Thou hast then enough to live upon. If he be thy portion, he may well be thy hope, thy refuge.
A refuge—i4* to the things of this life. Thou art well provided for, thou shalt want no good thing, Ps. xxxiv. 10; cxlii. 5. If all thy creature-comforts should fail, thou mayest rejoice in thy portion, which fails not, Hab. iii. 17,18. As David, when all was gone, ** he encouraged himself in the Lord his God," 1 Sam. XXX. 6.—though flesh and heart fail. Suppose a traveller robbed, all about him taken away, yet if he has more at home, if his portion be safe—if his cisterns be drawn dry, yet if the fountain is flowing— he can rejoice. So should Christians rejoice in their portion.
A refuge— As to our everlasting amdition, 1 Cor. XV. 19. Wo have hope in this life, bat not in this life only. When we die all our other portions leave as, Ps. xlix. 17. and if we have no Christ to take to, how sad will it be! But if he he thine, fear not, thoa mayst rejoice in hope of the glory of God. " Whj art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day T 2 Sam. xiii. 4.
6. Then we should carry it as those whose sonJs can say the Lord Christ is their portion.
In all holy obedience before him, Ps. cxix. 57. fearing to offend him, caring to please bim. For though it be not possible to lose the portion, it is possible to lose the comfort of it.
In a holy contempt of all other things in comparison with him. How high do some women carry it that know they have a great portion—^they spend accordingly. So should we,—^this is worthy. Col. i. 10. Remember, thou art a King's son. And we should carry it in holy joy, and cheerfulness of spirit, Phil, iv. 4.
SERMON XIV.
CHRIST IS OUR PROPITIATION.
1 John iv. 10.
And sent his Son to be the propitiation for our situ, John, the beloved disciple, breathes nothing so much as love throughout this epistle. He gives us here a superlative instance of love—not oors to God, but God's to us, in sending his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
DocT. That Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is sent of God, to be the propitiation for oar sins.
Show, I. The meaning of this.
II. What kind of propitiation Christ is.
III. What we learn from it.
I. Explain the meaning of this.
Propitiation is a hard word, but few understand it. It is used but thrice in all the New Testament,— here, I John ii. 2. and Rom. iii. 25. The latter word is used, Heb. ix. 5. and there translated the merry-seat,—" And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy-seat,"—^tfae propitiation.
1. In that sense it is true, Jesus Christ is our mercy-seat.
Now the mercy-seat was a broad plate of pure gold laid upon the ark, in which were the two tables of the law, for a covering to it, just as long and as broad every way as the ark was; haying above it the two cherubims with their wings stretched oot, between which was the Shechinah, or the manifestatioQ of the presence and glory of God, who is said tu dwell between the cherubims. See Exod. xxt. 17.
WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS.
^. Now this mercy-seat was a type of Christ, he is our mercy-seat.
As that was of pure gold, so he is pure and per« feet and without sp(9t.
As that was just as long and as broad as the ark or coffer in which the law was, so Jesus Christ, by the obedience of his life, did fully answer to all the commands of the moral law, without failing or offending in the least tittle; just as long and as broad ; and by the obedience of his death did fully perform all that was required by the mediatorial law laid on him by the Father.
As that covered the ark, and so was between the pure eye of God, dwelling between the cherubims, and the holy law put into the ark, so Jesus Christ comes between us, as sinners and transgressors of the law, and the wrath and vengeance of God due to us. It is therefore called the mercy-seat, because it is the blessed medium or mean of divine mercy towards us, Heb. viii. 12. The same word implying, it is through Christ alone as our mercy-seat.
'2. It hath another signification— propitiation; which is as much as propitiatory sacrifice. Sacrifices among the Jews, by God's appointment, were of several sorts, with reference to the design and end of offering them. They were especially of four sorts: Some were merely to honour God: those were called burnt-offerings, because the whole beast was burnt.
Others were, when something was wanting to obtain it: those were peace-offerings, peace including every good thing.
Others were, when some mercy had been obtained, to give thanks for it; called thank-offerings, Ps. cxvi. 17.
Others were, to make atonement for sin, called sin-offerings and trespass-offerings, a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, or the like, duly offered, was a means to make reconciliation for the sin of the offerer. Not that divine justice could be thereby satisfied, but the divine will and pleasure was thereby performed, and it sanctified to the purifying of the fleshy Heb. ix. 13. that is, continued to the offerer his right and title to all the privileges of the earthly Canaan, which by his sin he had forfeited. Now our sin-offering, trespass-offering, propitiatory sacrifice, is Jesus Christ: these all pointed at him ; they were the shadows, he is the substance, 1 Cor. 7. 2 Cor. V. 21.
II. What kind of propitiation, or propitiatory sacrifice, or sin offering, is Christ?
1. Jesus Christ is a propitiation appointed of God. He did not put himself upon it, but was called to it He that knew best what would please him, did himself set him forth, Rom. iii. 25. This is a great support to faith in our addresses for peace and pardon, Ps. Ixxxix. 19. He is the same that brought the ram to Abraham.
2. He is a propitiation accepted of God, Eph. t. 2. Therefore acceptable to him, because appointed by him.
But how do we know that he was accepted ?
There were ways formerly of testifying acceptance by sigs, as by fire coming down from heaven and kindling the sacrifice. Lev. ix. 34. 1 Kings xviii. 38.
But this was done by two extraordinary ways: The one, by a voice from heaven, expressly affirming it. Matt iii. 17 ; xvii. 5.
The other, by raising him from the dead. No other sacrifice ever was so; no beast, Rom. iv. 25.
3. He is a spotless propitiation. The beast that made atonement must be so; without defect, excess, blemish; else no acceptance, Lev. xxii. 20. Now such was he; conceived, bom, lived, died, without sin, 1 Pet i. 19. Heb. ix. 14.
4. He is a slain propitiation. Without blood there was no remission, and it must be life-blood. The beast must die, else it could not be a propitiatory sacrifice. Now Christ died to make atonement, Rom. ▼. 10; iii. 25.—in his blood. The death he died was a bloody death, most bloody.
5. He is a voluntary propitiation, a free-will offering. Such the beasts offered in sacrifice were not, they would have lived if they might; therefore bound with cords, Ps. cxviii. 27. Howbeit, the offerer was to be willing. Lev. i. 3. But here, the same was both the offerer and the offering; and both willing, John X. 18. Eph. t. 25. Ps. xl. 7, 8. With the same severity wherewith he checked the devil, persuading him to worship him. Matt. iv. 10.—he checked Peter, dissuading him from sufferings. Matt, xvi. 23. See Luke ix. 51: xii. 50.
Why then did he pray—" O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me?" Matt. xxvi. 39.
To show that he had the sinless infirmities of human nature, one whereof is, to fear dying: which, if he had been without, his yielding to it would not have been so strange. A shame to us to be so hack-ward in our duty to him.
6- He is a universal propitiation.
The only one—instead of all other sacrifices, though but once offered. The legal offerings were repeated often—yearly, nay daily, twice every day ; an evidence of their insufficiency. But Jesus Christ once only, and that once enough, Heb. ix. 25—^28; X. 11, 12. If a plaistcr will cure a sore at once laying on, what need is there of a fresh one. This condemns the popish mass, which themselves own must he repeated often.
It is of universal extent—to all that will accept of it. and close with it: '* not for ours only,*' that are Jews, his countrymen and kinsmen according to the flesh; but to the Gentiles also, all the world over, John iii. 15. the world, consisting of Jew and Gentile, Isa. xlix. 6. 1 John ii. 2. This is good news for us sinners of the Gentiles; if we sin, we
APPENDIX. have an advocate, we have a propitiation; a sacrifice offered/or us.
It is of uniyersal extent likewise—to all sins, even presamptaous sins not excepted.
7. He is a complete propitiation. To a complete propitiation three things were required: a priest— an altar—and an offering.
If either of these were wanting there was no atonement. Now all these three met here in Christ.
The offering was his human body and soul, that is, himself as a man, Eph. v. 2.—His body, Heb. x. 5, 10. His soul, Isa. liii. 10. The same nature that sinned suffered.
The altar which sanctified the gift was not the cross, (what could the wood of the cross do towards that,) but the divine nature; the Godhead; the eternal Spirit, Heb. ix. 14. That was it that bore him up under his sufferings, as the altar did the sacrifice ; and that gave worth and value to them, to make them a price sufficient. Acts xx. 28.
The priest was himself the offering, as God-man. See the definition of a priest, Heb. v. I. *' Forever}' high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins."
Taken from among men. So was he.
Ordained, So was he, anointed, sealed—not without an oath, as Aaron, but with an oath, Ps. ex. 4.
For man. So was he; not for angels.
In things pertaining to God to offer
Gifts, first-fruits, thank-offerings. So he, now in heaven, presents our prayers, praises, alms.
Sacrifices for sins. So he, %U pi'ius — €U before, himself upon the cross.
8. He is a continual propitiation ; not continually to be offered, but of continual virtue and efficacy. We read often of the continual burnt-offering. The atonement made upon the cross reaches us now as fully as if he had died but yesterday. The last sinner that shall live to be reconciled and saved by him, shall certainly find the truth of this. That burthen of the 136th Psalm, concerning God's mercy, may bo sung also concerning Christ's merit,—it en-duresfor ever. There is a fountain of it, Zech. xiii. 1. We come, III. To the application of this.
Show,l. What need there was of this propitiation, or propitiatory sacrifice. Might not God have spared his Son, and the Son have spared him? Wherefore was this waste? allusion to Mark xiv. 4.
It was no waste, the work of our redemption and salvation could not otherwise have been brought to pass, for ought we know.—To those that slight it, it is indeed waste.
We have sinned; have we not ? by omission— by commissionin thought, word, and deed. Where is the man, the woman, the child, that can say, I have no sin, am under no guilt.
If we have sinned God is anipry with us. h cannot be otherwise. All sin is a provocation u the pure eyes of his glory; it grieves him ; it vexs him; his holy nature is against it; so also is his righteous law, which forbids it, which threatens it, let the sinner be who he will, 2 Sam. xi. 27.
If God be angry, some coarse must be taken to appease and pacify him, it will not wear off of itself. There must be some propitiation, something to make atonement Now what should that be, Ps. xl. 6. Mic vi. 6, 7. This man bid fair, but it would not do. Nothing of our own, prayers, tears, alms, penaoces. pilgrimages, nothing of any one's else for as, will do. Ps. xlix. 7, 8. No, no; he is the propitiation, ke, and none but he.
Show, 2. What is to be done by as» that he may be our propitiation. I beseech you, hearken to this, for it is the main matter. Take away propitiatm if you take away our —as to any comfort we can hai? i in It.
In general, we must do it in like manner as tk guilty Israelite was to do, when be brought liij| bullock or his lamb to make atonement for what ke \ had done.
Now what was that ?
(I.) He was to lay his hand upon the head of tk beast. Lev. i. 4. So must we lay a haod of fattii upon Christ, making a believing application of hh merit and righteousness, each of us, to oarselves—to our own soul, and to our own sin;—who loved me, and gave himself for me; a propitiation for my sins. Without this there is no atonement.
(2.) He was to confess his sin, and to tell why lif brought his offering, Lev. v. 5. acknowledging if | he had his desert he himself should die, and not tbe bullock. So must we—as David, Ps. li. 4. as Job, | ch. xxxiii. 27. 22. as the prodigal, aggra Tating bis I fault against himself, Luke xv. with grief of heart I and shame of face, and this with tbe hand oi I Christ's head, Zech. xii. 10. Now how have «e ! done this ? do we use to do it daily, in ordinaij, ii i extraordinary ?
(3.) He was to comfort himself, and to go avaj rejoicing in the atonement made, and to sis do more: so must we, Ps. Ixxxv. 8. This is called rv-ceiving the atonement, Rom. v. 11.
Show, 3. What is like to become of as if this be not done, and if Christ be not our propitiation. We must each of us ourselves be made a sacrifice. It is usual in Scripture to set forth the judgments of God upon the wicked under this notion, Isa. xxxiv. 6. Jer. xlvi. 10. Ezek. xxxix. 17, 18. Hence God is styled a consuming fire, Heb. xii. 29. We are described as stubble. Now what work is there like to be, when fire and stubble meet, Isa. xxvii. 4.
Two things Christ suffered in being made a sacrifice: j
Pain extraordinary, in body—^in sotil.
WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS.
Siame extraordinary, in beings cracified without the gate,naked,between two thieves, scoffed at—^Now pain and shame in extremity, and eternal, is hell; and that is the portion of those that mast be their own sacrifice, Ps. ix. 17.
Pain in soul, from the gnawings of a guilty conscience, the worm that never dies,—Son, remember. In body, to be cast into a lake of brimstone and firq, into utter darkness, tormented, not a drop of water, Luke xvi.
Shame without; with wicked company—in the place of souls—God, saints, devils laughing; and all this eternal, Dan. xii. 2. Hear this, and fear, 2 Cor. V. 10,11. Yon that are delivered from all this, see the mercy of your deliverance by Christ your propitiation.
Show, 4. What must they do whose propitiatory sacrifice Christ is ?
(1.) They must sacrifice themselves, soul and body, to him for a thank-offering, Rom. xii. 1, 2. Ps. li. 17.
(2.) They must sacrifice their sins absolutely and entirely, for a burnt-offering, a whole burnt-offering, Luke xix. 27. They must be crucified as he was, Gal. V. 24. Crucifixion is a slow but sure death.
(3.) They must sacrifice their all, freely and cheerfully, for him, if thereunto called,—estate, name, liberty, life. As Abraham his Isaac, Gen. xxii. Rom. viii. 36. Compare this with Rev. vi. 9. Now how do we like this ?
SERMON XV.
CHRIST IS OUR FREEDOM.
John viii. 36.
If the Son therefore make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
This Son here is, for certain, our Lord Jesus Christ; it can be no other; the Son of God, the Son of man, so as never any one was besides him.
That which is said here concerning him— the Son —or rather, which he says concerning himself, is, I. That he hath a way of making people free, making himself over to them to be their freedom; If the Son make you free —this is implied.
II. That the freedom that he gives is extraordinary freedom ; those that are made free by him are free indeed, no other freedom is like it, none to be compared with it; ye shall be —this is expressed. The explaining and proving of these two together with the application, will be the work of this day.
I. Christ haih a way of making people free—he is their freedom.
Freedom supposes bondage. The people to whom this was spoken, could readily enough reply to him. We were never in bondage to any man, v. 33. It was not true that they said, understand them in what sense you will.—Bondage is two-fold: Cotoral, which is the bondage of the outward man; and.
Spiritual, which is the bondage of the soul.
As to the former; their fathers had been oft in sore bondage. Were they not so in Egypt to Pharaoh ; to the Philistines, and Ammonites, and Moa-bites, in the time of the Judges ? So for seventy years together in Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar ; nay were not they themselves at this very time in bondage to the Romans ? But as to the latter, which is spiritual bondage, concerning which our Lord speaks; they had never been otherwise than under that, V. 34. So that it was plainly the pride of their hearts; they were loth.to own their condition. So are others besides them. Rev. iii. 17. But whether we will own it or not, it is certain there is a spiritual bondage, which we are all under by nature, and from that bondage it is that Jesus Christ makes free.
We were born in bondage. Paul could say, in a civil sense, I was born free*; and so many of us say, but in a spiritual sense we cannot, for we were bom captives, prisoners, slaves. O that God would make us this day sensible of the misery of such a condition, that if we be yet in it, we may make haste out of it; and, behold, here is one who will help you out. If we be out of it, and are already made free, we may see what cause we have to be thankful all the days of our lives.
Have we not since sold ourselves to work wickedness, sold to &tf bondmen, 2 Pet. ii. 19.—overcome.
Three things are the cause of this bondage:
1. The guilt of sin. By that we are bound over to divine justice in a bond, the penalty whereof is eternal burning. Sinner, thou dost little think of this, but certainly it is so. Thy sins are thy debts, and they are bond debts, and the bond will be sued shortly; and there will be an arrest, and thou wilt bo cast into prison, if some course be not taken to prevent it, Luke xii. 58, 59. Now from this we are made free by the Son's dying for us upon the cross, whereby he paid the debt, and fully satisfied God's justice; and had his acquittance, when he rose again from the dead, Rom. iv. 25.
2. The corrupt nature, called the sin that dwells in us; the flesh, the old man. By this we are so fettered and chained to divers lusts and pleasures, that we are perfect slaves: the drunkard is a slave to his lust of drinking ; the wanton to his wantonness ; the covetous man to money. One owned he was a slave to tobacco; another said, when he began to love it, meaning, to be a slave to it, he left it And as to that that is good, there is no desire towards it; but quite the contrary; there is enmity and averseness. Just
APPENDIX. as it was with the poor woman, Luke xiii. 11,16. she coald not lift up herself. When Satan hath bound the soal it is crippled. Now from this we are made free by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, as a sanctifier, renewing us in the whole man; breaking the power of indwelling sin, planting a contrary principle, Rom. vi. 14—19, 22.
3. The fear of death. Fear generates bondage, which bondage is more or less according as the thing feared is, and according as the fear prevails, in the measure and degree of it. Now we are all by nature subject to this bondage, through fear. Though it does not appear alike in all, there are few but one time or other have their qualms upon every apprehension of danger; though not every one to such an excess as Belshazzar, whose knees knocked each other, or as Herod, who feared lest John was risen from the dead.
From this we are set free by the same Spirit as a comforter, abating this slavish fear, and working holy boldness and confidence ; so that now the man can cheerfully look death in the face; can look God himself in the face, knowing be is a reconciled Father, Rom. viii. 15, 16. The death of Christ purchased this, Heb. ii. 14.' and the Spirit of Christ applies it to the soul. Let him be afraid to die that is afraid to go to heaven. But, II. What kind of freedom is it? In general,
1. A freedom indeed, that is, real freedom, substantially free. It is no fancied thing, no dream. Many a man that ruffles in the world, and is the world's freeman, doth but seem free; really he is a slave, under the power of sin and the devil. But if the Son have made thee free, thou art free indeed — free from the guilt of all thy sins past, from the beginning of the world to this day; free from the power and dominion of sin, for time to come. It may tyrannize over thee, but it no longer reigns in thee, of choice and with consent; —free from slavish fear, causing bondage.
2. It is inward freedom. The soul is made free, the mind and conscience. Now the soul is the man, the better, the more noble part. If it be well with that, all is well.<—Though thy outward condition be low and mean, perhaps a poor servant, the drudge in the family, an apprentice to some hard master, working hard, and faring hard; no matter, if the Son have made thee free, thou art free to God, the Lord's freeman, 1 Cor. vii. 22.
3. It is costly freedom; it cost him dear that obtained it for us ; namely, the Son.
There are two ways of obtaining freedom for captives.
The one by force; fighting to procure it.
The other by price ; paying a sum of money for ransom.
Both these ways the Son obtained our freedom for us.
He paid a price for it to the Father, bougbt 'i out, even the price of his own most precious blood. 1 Cor. vi. 20. 1 Pet. i. 19. Less would not serc either that or nothing.
He fought it out with the devil, and death, and tk grave, and by strength of hand rescued us. It is true, himself was taken prisoner, but they coaU hold him but awhile. Acts ii. 24. Thus be is ma redemption, 1 Cor. i. 30.
4. It is comfortable freedom. Comfortable to us, that enjoy the benefit of it. It is attended vi'ii many exceeding great and precious privileges, wbic& should each of them be so many arguments with ci. if we are not free, to desire and seek it; if we are. to rejoice in it and be thankful for it Those that ar<> free of corporations enjoy many immanities a&3 franchises, which strangers are unconcerned in, for the having of which, they serve seven years. Bs: what are those to believers' franchises ? what ts those that belong to God's freemen ? And, which u more, they may be thine immediately, this vcn day, without seven years* service to obtain tfaeo. Allusion to 1 Sam. xvii. 25.
What are the privileges of the Lord's freemen!
In general they are of two sorts:
Those we have hy the way, now, in possession.
1. There are sundry evil things that we are free from: (1.) The guilt of sin; which is taken away by tk pardoning mercy of God in the blood of Christ Even this, where it is denominated a man, a blessed man, Ps. xxxii. 1, 2.
(2.) The domineering power of sin; so that it is k> more on the throne in us, Rom. vi. 14. Though it remain, it doth not reign. It is as the Canaanltei were in Canaan, after the Israelites had conquered it; they were under tribute.
But some one may say, I find the power of sis great in me.
But art thou a willing servant to it, as formeri;! dost thou yield thy members? I hope not so« yoa reply; I can truly say, the evil I would not that! do, and though with my flesh I serve the law of sio. yet with my spirit the law of Christ. Then be of good comfort—the freedom is gradual.
(3.) The irritating power of the law ;—this is said to be the strength of sin, as water to lime, 1 Cor. xi. 56. Sin takes occasion by the commandment, Rom. vii. 8. If such and such things were not forbidden, we should have no mind to them; but now, when enjoying this freedom, it is otherwise. There is tbeo in the heart a dear love to the law of God ; the will consents to it, rejoices in it (4.) The unscriptural commands, injunctions, and impositions of men in religious matters, wherein we have to do immediately with God. Not their cWi\ commands in civil things. We say not so, Rosl \ xiii. 1. Tit. iii. 1. Nor the scriptural commands in WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS.
Lcred tbings, as when they command days of public istin or thanks^^ing when there is occasion, be-Luse for this there is warrant in the word of God. be king of Nineveh proclaimed a fast, and the good LDgs of Judah. But their unscriptural commands I the things of God, when they lay a necessity upon lose things wherein the gospel calls to liberty: in ich a case we are bid to stand fast in the liberty herciith Christ has made us free," Gal. y. I. Cor. li. 23. Herein the Pharisees were faulty; and see hat the Master says, Matt, xxiii. 9, 10.
(5.) The evil of afllictions : not from afflictions lemselves ; the best men have oftentimes a larger lare of those than others; but from the evil of them, *s. xci. 10. The evil of an affliction is the wrath f God in it. As much as there is of that in it, so luch there is of real evil. Now, by the Son we are reed from that wrath; his blood hath pacified it 'hat which afflicts is love, for our good, Rev. iii. 19. Icb. xii. 6—8.
(6.) The sting of death and the grave. Not from icalh itself, nor the grave itself, but from the ttinff f it. What that is, we read, 1 Cor. xv. 66. Now in is done away, therefore death is unstung; it nay hiss and frighten, but it cannot hurt.
2. There are sundry good things that we are free o.
(1.) We have freedom of access to the throne of ^race ; we may come thither as oft as we will, and itay there as long as we will. The oftener we come, ind the longer we stay, the more welcome we are, Eleb. iv. 16. Liberty of speech, free to speak our whole nind. It is through the Son, Heb. iv. 16. We would iccount this a privilege were it to the presence of in earthly prince or potentate. One said he would desire no more towards the making of him rich, than in interview for one hour in a day with his king.
(2.) We are free to all the promises in the whole Bible. Take which thou wilt, if Christ be thine, thou liast an interest in it, a right to it, and mayst comfortably plead it, as if named in it. This is clear Trom Heb. xiii. 6. a promise made to Joshua upon a particular occasion, yet we may say the tame.
(3.) We are free to the lawful and comfortable Dse of every good creature of God. This is certainly one thing wherein the Son hath made us free. For instance, in our good, 1 Tim. iv. 3—5. Some have thought, and taught, and themselves practised, otherwise ; but it is a mistake. They may as well revive and establish the whole law of Moses in those matters. The reason ceases, it is not such blood now that atones. It is true, in Acts xv. there was a temporary appointment with reference to their present circumstances, but it was but temporary, and those ceasing, the injunction ceased, Titus i. 16. We do not live now among Jews, likely to be ofl Tended.
Those we are to have at home hereafter in the other world.
No condemnation, Rom. viii. 1. No wrath to come, 1 Thess. i. 10. No Depart ye cursed. But a crown and kingdom that fadeth not away. All the Lord's freemen are heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, Rom. viii. 17. We are free to heaven now, every day, in our daily addresses, and we shall be free to the mansions there when we go hence, John xiv. 2, 3.
Uses. Hence we learn,
1. What a difference there is between one man and another, according as they are, or are not, in Jesus Christ.
Those that are in Christ Jesus are the Lord's freemen. The Son hath made them free, and they are blessed and happy ; they are more excellent ihn their neighbours, upon all these accounts. Acts xvii. 11.
Those that are not in Christ Jesus are the devil's bondmen; rowing in his galley; tugging at his oar ; doing his drudgery, Luke xv. 16. 2 Tim. ii. 26. having first overcome them, 2 Pet. ii. 19. Amongst men, what a difference there is between a servant and a master, an apprentice and a freeman: With a great sum, saith the captive, purchased I this freedom. Acts xxii. 28.
2. How much it concerns each of us to examine, as to ourselves, which of the two am I ? Hath the Son made me free ? It may be known, and it were good for us to know.
Those that the Son hath made free, cannot but be sensible of a great change from what was to what is. Were the Israelites, think you, sensible when they were out of Egypt, and afterwards, when out of Babylon ? Those poor men that have been at Algiers in slavery to the Turks, and are comehome again, some by flight, some by exchange, some by ransom, (they come often to your doors,) ask them. Are they sensible of a change ? they will tell you. Aye. Canst thou say, I was darkness, dead, blind, captive; but now, I enjoy the light, I am alive, I see, I am free ?
They are endued with a free spirit. There is certainly such a spirit, and it is one of the excellent spirits, Ps. 11. 12. free to every good work, ready, willing, forward, Ps. cxxii. 1; xxvii. 8; cxix. 108. Not perfectly or universally so, but then it is free.
3. What is to be done that we may be made free ? There is no way but one, and that is, to apply ourselves to the blessed Jesus, the Son here spoken of.
Tell him thy sense of present bondage, thy desire to be made free, and thy consent to the gospel terms; tell him that thou art weary of sin's service, and art willing to be his servant, or rather freeman. Know for thy encouragement, he is sent on purpose. Isa. Ixi. 1. Compare Luke iv. 18. The gospel proclamation is like that of Cyrus, Ezra i. 1, 6. Could I assure all apprentices, servants, suppose all prisoners, galley-slaves, of freedom, how welcome would be the tidings!
APPENDIX.
4. WLat must they do that are made free ?
They mast own their deliverance and their deliverer with all thankfulness. The bells ring when the time of servitude is out, Ps. xvi. 16. Sing the song of Moses, Exod. xv. I. Compare Rev. xv. 3.
They must stand fast in their liberty, and press to be made more free.
They must promote and further the freedom of others. Tell them the difference you have found.
SERMON XVI.
CHRIST IS OUR FOUNTAIN.
Zechariah xiii. 1.
In that day there shall he a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness»
This fountain is the Lord Jesus Christ, concerning whom it is here promised, that he should be an open fountain, implying, till then he had been a fountain shut up, a fountain sealed. And so he was.
Now, 1. We are told here concerning the time when it should be—tn that day; that is, in the gospel day, the famous day of the New Testament, when God was manifested in the flesh, taking our nature upon him, and becoming incarnate. Then this fountain began to be opened. It was opened more and more after his resurrection, when the apostles went forth and preached the gospel to all the world. What was the tidings they brought ? Behold, a fountain opened; behold, a Redeemer, a Saviour; as the angel told at first, Luke ii. 10.
2. Concerning the persons for whose use this fountain shall be opened,—it is said, the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Those were, first the nation and people of the Jews; to them first, God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless *' them, in turning away every one from his iniquities,'' Acts iii. 26. In all places where they came, they began with them, Acts xvii. 1, 2. But upon their refusal, they turned and opened it to the Gentiles, Acts xviii. 6,6. And it was well for us that it was so— The house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem now, are the Christian church, scattered far and wide, here and there, upon the face of the whole earth. Among them it is that this fountain is open, not elsewhere: The rest of the world knows nothing of it.
3. Concerning the intent and design of opening it, and that is.ybr sin and for uncleanness. That is a brave fountain indeed, that will wash from sin, and from uncleanness —that is, From sin, which is uncleannciis, pailatiDg and defiling the soul, as dust or mire doth the body. Am.
From all sin, and particularly from that sis, which we commonly call the sin of ancleanDe». Seventh-commandment sins of all sorts. There j cleansing to be had even for them. And where ? At this fountain ; namely, with our Lord Jesus Christ, who is made unto us of God, amongst other thisp. ourfountain.
DocT. That the Lord Jesus Christ is our fooe-tain.
Show, I. Wherein.
II. What kind of fountain.
III. The application.
I. Wherein is Christ a fountain ? When it is said Christ is oar fountain, it hoids forth two things:
1. Fulness. A fountain is not like a cistern: t cistern may be full, but the fulness of it maj U emptied ; so may the fulness of a fountain too, bet then a fountain, or a spring, fills itself anin imiBe-diately. So doth not a cistern. A cistern may \x full, but it doth not rise up and run over, as a fooi-tain doth, and that continually. For this rcasoG the corrupt nature in us is compared to a fonntm Jer. vi. 7.—bubbling up in vain thoughts, inordifitif desires, corrupt affections. Now in Jesus Chiis) there is a fulness, and it is a fountaio-fal Mss. Col. i. \9.fulness^-^aU fulness, and all fatness tArclf-ifi, and by the good pleasure of the Father
What is he full of?
The two things that our poor souls have most ncd of, towards the making of us happy.
Merit and righteousness for justification ; and Spirit and grace for sanctification.
He hath merit enough; his merit is of infisH; value, sufl Bicient to take away all sin, Heb. vil 2& — able to save. And He hath Spirit enough, to sanctify us tbroughoQl to break the power of every lust, to strengthen U519 every good word and work.
He is such a fountain as can open in us a foao-tain, springing up unto eternal life, John iv. 11 John i. 16.
2. Uses—fulness.
A fountain is of great use. What striving was there in Abraham's time, and Isaac's time, and Jacob's time, about wells of water. Gen. xxi. and xxvi. When Achsah was to ask a boon of her father Caleb. Crive me, said she, springs of water ^ Jndg. i. 15w Wert we to ask but one thing of our heavenly Father, tbere were reason it should be. Lord, give ns a fountaia. Why, blessed be his name, he hath given us ooe Not only, springs of water, useful for oar outward man, a land of springs, like Canaan, but a Christ, a Christ for our souls. A fountain of water is useful for three things : (1.) For quenching of thirst. How glad is the WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS. weary traveller, or labourer, of a springy of water ; Ihoagh it be but fair water. O, says he, it hath saved my life. The Israelites in the wilderness, when there was no water, what an affliction was it to them. When they had it, it was sweet as honey and oil, 1 Cor. x. 4.
Now this fountain is very useful for this purpose. Is thy soul athirst ? athirst for peace, pardon, life, salvation, for grace, strength? Here is a fountain for thee, come and drink, Isa. Iv. 1—buying frightens ; therefore, come freely. Thou art called, John vii. 37. Rev. xxii. 15. See the discourse of our Lord Jesus with the woman of Samaria, John iv. lO—14. Alas ! the most of men know not what this means—they are sensible of no need, and, therefore, of no desire, but, Ps. xlii. 1. "As t|ie hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God."
(2.) For washing away filth. Water cleanses; we could not tell what to do without it—^to make oar bodies, our clothes, comfortable. This fountain also is cleansing. Sin defiles, leaves a blot, a stain, upon the soul.—It is uncleanness.
The guilt of it is so: from that we are washed by the blood of Christ, satisfying God's justice and making atonement; also purging the conscience— 1 John i. 7. Rev. i. 5. Heb. ix. 14.
The corrupt nature, which is the root and principle of it, is so, Ps. xiv. 3. From this the Spirit of Christ washes in the laver of regeneration. Tit iii. 4, 6. 1 Cor. vi. 11.
(3.) For watering the earth, and making it fruitful. They use to have fountains for that purpose in their gardens, to be ready in a dry season to fetch water to refresh the plants. Herein also Christ is our fountain. Did he not water us every moment, grace in us would languish and die, Isa. xxvii. 3. See Isa. xliv. 3, 4. Now it is the second of these especially that this text speaks of—Jesus Christ is a cleansing fountain ; we have need of him as such, for we are filthy and defiled.
II. What kind of fountain is the Lord Jesus. .As a cleansing fountain he hath these properties.
1. He is full, he hath enough wherewithal to cleanse us; merit enough, spirit enough. Under the law they had cleansing appointments as to ceremonial pollutions, but ours is beyond theirs.
They had blood, but it was but the blood of bulls and goats, and that in a bason only; but we have the blood of the Son of God, not in a bason, but a fountain full of it
They had water; one particularly called the water of purification, made of the ashes of a red heifer.
• In Flintshire.
1707.8, July 13. Went to visit at Newmarket. My wife and daughter with me. We called at Holywell. I was much affected to see a papist lotig in the well, praying and crosaing herself. kept in a pot for the purpose. Numb. xix. 9. But that availed nothing towards taking away the moral pollution. The blood of Christ doth that. The papists, in imitation of this, have holy water; a mere vanity. They had also water in a brazen laver of vast extent, in Solomon's time, for the priests to wash in when they drew near to worship, 1 Kings vii. 23, 26. Compare 2 Chron. iv. 5. But what is all that to a fountain ? In this fountain we are to wash every day, especially when we draw near in duties of worship; Ps. xxvi. 6. *' I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O Lord," —that is, in Christ's blood, which makes as if innocent.
2. He is a flowing fountain. It is of the nature of a fountain to flow forth; if it doth not flow, it is not a fountain. There are continual issues every day from the blessed Jesus, both for justification and sanctifi-cation, or we were undone. This was signified by the blood and water that came out of his side.
3. He is a holy fountain. We have a spring in this county called byname Holy-well,* but it makes none holy that go to it; it is well if it defile not some by the superstition of it; but here is a holy well indeed, and holy water indeed, that makes them holy, holy, that are washed in it. How unclean soever before, if washed with the grace of Christ that uncleanness is done away. We are made partakers of the divine nature, 2 Pet i. 4.—not in perfection at first, but by degrees, renewed more and more till presented without spot to God, Eph. v. 527—faultless, Jude 24. O the rare virtue that is in this fountain ; it makes a sinner a saint.
4. A healing fountain.
In John V. we read of a pool, called the pool of Bethesda, which had a healing virtue. This is the true Bethesda. Our uncleanness is like that of the leprosy, a disease; this cleanses, as Naaman by washing in Jordan, 2 Kings v.—as the leper in Siloam.
5. An open fountain. If it were of greater virtue than it is, and were shut up, what the better should we be ? No, it hath pleased the Father to lay him open. He is not an enclosed fountain, but a common fountain; as a common propitiation so a common fountain, 1 John ii. 1,2.—As common as the light or air.
Open and common to all persons, Jew and Gentile, high and low, rich and poor, bond and free; whosoever will may come.
Open at all times, night or day, summer or winter, John viii. 2.— early in the momingy John iii. 2. Nicodemus by night, and both found entertainment with him—Allude to Gen. xxix. 8. There is no stone to be rolled away.
Surely they have a zeal Tor God, hut not according to knowledge. We can scarce persuade people to pray in their warm closets. They pray, and pray long, in the cold water, and are reproached for it They shame us. Re9. MaUtuv Htnrfi Diary, MSS.
APPENDIX.
Open and free as to terms. We say—What is freer than a gift ? He is the gift of God, John iv. 10. the free gift, Rom. v. the unspeakable gift, 2 Cor. ix. 16. Though thou hast no worthiness, no matter, he is worthy. Cordial acceptance makes him ours. He forgives freely, Isa. xliii. 25.
6. The only fountain. Besides him there is no other, Acts iv. 12. We may think, perhaps, as Naa-man—" Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Da« mascns, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them and be clean ?" 2 Kings v. 12. But no other fountain will do. III. The application, in four particulars. 1. Here is matter for thanksgiving to God, who, (1.) Appointed this fountain in the counsel of his ' will from all eternity, John iii. 16.
(2.) Opened it in the fulness of time, after it had been shut for four thousand years, Gal. iv. 4.
(3.) Opened it to us; to us of this nation, country, neighbourhood ; of this present age and generation. Here is matter of thanksgiving, that the gospel is not a hidden gospel to us, that it is yet day-time with us, that we are within hearing of the joyful sound.
(4.) And, specially, that he hath brought us to it, and washed us in it This is certainly the mercy of mercies,—** Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,'* Rev. i. 5. This is more than angels can say. When ten lepers were cleansed, only one returned to give thanks, Luke xvii.
2. Here is matter for conviction; and O that I knew what to say, and bow to order my speech, so that it might be convincing; but Elihu, my God is he that must do it. Convincing! Of what? Of your need of this fountain to wash in.—That which is unclean doth certainly need washing; but thou art unclean, I mean, thy soul, thy mind, thy conscience ; inwardly, spiritually. I am sure thou wast so by nature ; born in guilt and filth ; like an infant weltering in blood and pollution, Ezek. xvi. And art thou washed ? When, and how ? And by whom, and with what ?
I am sure, that every sin thou hast committed hath added to that original pollution, and hath made thee more and more filthy, Ps. cvi. 39. Matt xv. 19, 20. Even vain thoughts, Jer. iv. 17. So is the world also. Jam. i. 27. Nay, our best duties have their pollutions, Isa. Ixiv. 6. But there is one particular kind of sins, those against the seventh commandment, that is especially called uncleanness. And have we been in no sort guilty of that, neither in thought, word, nor deed ? That query of Solomon's i j a searching one—*' Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin V* Prov. xx. 9.— Even those that are washed have need to wash their feet, John xiii. 10. 3. Here is matter for exhortation : (1.) To that which is best To keep yonraeH clean, and to keep your way clean, which most W by taking heed thereto according to the divine wcitc, Ps. cxix. 9. Apply to the fountain.
(2.) To that which is next best If any pollo Uei happen, to make haste to your foantain, and vasl: speedily; I mean to the Lord Jesus, confessins. b wailing, believing. The sooner the better—&« ig the case of other dirt; allude to 2 Kings ▼. Go vash seven times. You that have never been wiih tk for mercy, for grace, have most need of all. F«l it and believe there is a fountain just by thee; allodt to Gen. xxi. 19.
4. Here is matter for encouragement. This svei promise hath relieved many a poor aoal that bati, been sinking.
(1.) That it is a fountain; therefore, naeray enovsk I merit enough. ' (2.) That it is an open fountain, not under Icri | and key, but free and common to all; none tv-1 cepted, that except not themselves by onbelief.
(3.) That it is to the bouse of Israel and the is- i habitants of Jerusalem; that is, all the members & the visible church.
(4.) That it is for sin indefinitely, and parties-larly for uncleanness.
SERMON XVII.
CHRIST IS OUR WISDOM.
1 CoR. i. 90.
Bui of him are ye in Christ JesuSy who of Gad a made unto us wisdom.
This plainly and expressly proves what I afins concerning Jesus Christ, that he is made unto as cf God wisdom; not only that he is wise, naj wlsd>jc itself, r. 24. and Prov. i. and viii. but that he is made unto us wisdom, and that God made him so; that i>, God the Father, who first puts us into him. \^c were not born in him, but we are put into him bv renewing grace, as a graft or scion into the stock. and then he makes him to us wisdom. —So that here are four things asserted :
1. The original and fundamental prtvilege of all true believers; they are in Christ Jesus, Rom. viii. I.
2. A consequential privilege following upon thai; thereupon he is made unto us wisdom.
3. The sole author both of the one and of ibe other, and that is God, God the Father—of him, arr ye in Christ Jesus.
4. The scope, end, and design of this, v. 31. ikr. he that glorieth may glory in the Lord.
DocT. That Jesus Christ is made of God wisdos to all true believers that are truly in faim.
WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS.
Show, I. How we are to understand this. II. What practical inferences may be drawn from it.
I. How are we to understand this?
1. Objectively, As he alone isthe object about "Which all true wisdom is conversant. Col. ii. 3. Wisdom is either divine or human, the wisdom of God, or of men.
He is the wisdom of God, as the power of God, 1 Cor. i. 24. because the divine power and the divine wisdom were never so manifest in any thing that ever he did as they were in Christ, that is, in the great work of our redemption by him. All his works are made in wisdom, Ps. civ. 24. Prov. iii. 19. The footsteps of it are to be seen in all the creatures, in the several parts and members, and their proportions, especially man, Ps. cxxxix. 14. He governs the world in wisdom, wisely ordering all events to the great end of his own glory, and his people's good: when we murmur we charge God with folly. Job i. But above all, in our redemption by Christ; in the contrivance of it, finding out such a way wherein righteousness and peace are met together, mercy glorified, and yet justice satisfied. In Eph. iii. 10. it is called the manifold wisdom of God, such as angels wonder at.
He alone is the object of all our true wisdom. There are other things about which wisdom is conversant, but none like Christ, 1 Cor. ii. 2. Phil. iii. 7, 8. Our chief wisdom consists in closing with that wise design of the Father, acquainting ourselves with it, assenting and consenting to it, acquiescing in it, John xvii. 3. So that if you ask, who is a truly wise man ? I answer, he that is truly a Christian, not that is barely called so, but that understands, believes, and acts as such, Dcut. iv. 6. They are called Wisdom's children, Luke vii. 35. The world counts them a company of fools, but God esteems them wise.
2. Effectively, as he is the author and finisher of all that in us which is true wisdom. Now, that is grace; grace is true wisdom, and nothing else is so. It is not wisdom to be wise to do evil, wise, as Abithophel was, to plot mischief; nor is it wisdom to be able to manage affairs dexterously and to advantage ; but wisdom is, to know Christ Jesus the Lord. Now whence have we this wisdom ? It is the Spirit of Christ that works it in us, Eph. i. 17.1 John V. 20. He is the author, Heb. xii. 2. Of his fulness we receive, John i. 16. His is the eye-salve. Rev. iii. 18. But, further, for explication—It may be inquired, I. How is it said he is made unto us of God wisdom ?
(I.) In respect of eternal appointment and designation. The Father did from everlasting ordain, decree, and purpose, that his Son, Christ, should be a common head to us, deriving wisdom to all his members; a common fountain, whence they should fetch it. The head in the body we reckon the seat of wisdom; here so, Col. i. 19. compare John i. 16.
(2.) In respect of effectual application, in the fulness of time. He is then made wisdom to us when we begin to be made wise by him, and that is when we are savingly converted. Then, and not till then, are we turned to the wisdom of the just, Luke i. 17. But,
2. What are the special acts of this wisdom, by which it may appear whether we are so turned, so made wise?
(1.) If Christ be made unto us wisdom, we have been in some measure convinced of our own folly and foolishness ; this is the first step, 1 Cor. iii. 18. A fool thinks himself wise, Prov. xxvi. 12. As the Pharisees, John ix. 40. A wise man knows himself a fool, as David, Ps. Ixxiii. 22. Agur, Prov. xxx. 2, 3. Now inquire. How is it with me ? What is the opinion I have of myself ?
(2.) If Christ be made unto us wisdom, we are brought to seethe excellency and usefulness of wisdom, and begin to prize it at a high rate, and to beg it of God rather than any thing else in the world. As the pulse of desire beats, the man is ; not desire in word and tongue, not in sudden fiashes of wishing and woulding, but the inward, hearty, settled desireas of joy. Pa. cxxxvii. 6. Not the desire t« the heart, but of the heart. Would we do as Solomon, seek an understanding heart? have we done so ? 1 Kings iii. 5. If God should say to us, as to him, '* I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart," it would be a good evidence of being saved.
(3.) If Christ be made unto us wisdom, we have chosen God for our chief good and highest end, and the Lord Jesus Christ as our alone way to him. If so, we are wise ; if not, to this day we are fools. The proper act of wisdom is to determine the choice to right ends; as in other things, so in spiritual things, the things of the soul. Inquire what is your chief good and highest end. Is God ? to please and honour him, or ^^If ? Can you say, with the Psalmist ** Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for.ever, Ps. Ixxiii. 25, 26. There are few who can say this. Paul complains that " all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's," Phil. ii. 21. To seek Christ's things is to seek such things as he sought Now those were, to please his Father. And have you learnt Christ as your way, and do ye walk in him ? Can you say, '* For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain r (4.) If Christ be made unto us wisdom, it hath taught us to fear the Lord, and to depart from evil. Job xxviii. 28. There is this difference between wisdom and knowledge—knowledge is in specula-tives, wisdom is in practice. Many have a great
APPENDIX. deal of the former, that have none of the latter; good heads, but bad hearts and bad lives. See the properties of heavenly wisdom, Jam. iil. 17. It was thus with David, Ps. cxix.98—101. Eph.v. 15, 16.
(5.) If Christ be made unto us wisdom, it hath made the things of time to be as nothing to us, and the things of eternity to be all in all; it has altered our thoughts and pursuits. Inquire how is it with us as to this. Can we say, as Paul, *' We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal ; but the things which are not seen are eternal ?" 2 Cor. iv. 18.
Things that are seen, and not seen, are either good things, or evil things.
What are the good things temporal, riches, honour, pleasure, in comparison with the good things eternal, the vision and fruition of the blessed God, and the blessed Jesus ? Can we despise the former for the latter, as Moses, Heb. Jii. 24—^26.
What are the evil things of time in comparison with the good things of eternity ?—^Whether are we most afraid of the frowns of men or the frowns of God, a prison or hell ? It was a high charge against Job, but false, '^ Take heed, regard not iniquity, for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction,*' Job xxxvi. 21. Daniel chose to disobey the king rather than God, ch. vi. So did the three young men, eh. iii.
II. The practical inferences.
If Christ be made wisdom to those that are in him, and only to thpse, then,
1. They that are not in him are not wise. Nay, I must speak plain, they are fools. Nabal is their name, and folly is with them. We are forbidden to say to our brother, Thou fool, under the pain and penalty of hell-lire, Matth. v. 22. that Is, in wrath and bitterness to judge any person as to his eternal estate, but not, when it is spoken out of love, to convince ; and, God knows, that is my end. Paul calls the Galatians, foolish Galatians, Gal. iii. I. Christ, the two disciples, nay, and all the rest of them in that matter,/oo/«, Luke xxiv. 26. I speak it to your consciences, and if your consciences speak it to yon, hearken to them—Unconverted Christless people are fools.