A CORONATION SERMON, preached
[ 424 ] A
COROΝΑΤΙΟN - SERMON,
PREACHED AT
DARTMOUTH.
CANT . iii. 11 .
Goforth,ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon, with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his efpousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.
A :
Crown is the top of earthly glory, the culminating point of human dignity. Psalm xxi. 2, 3. " Thou hast given
" him his heart's desire ; thou hast fetacrownofpuregold up- " on his head." The ambition of the many, moves in various spheres below it ; the ambition of none aspires above it, except it be that anomalous monster, the man of fin,who affects to fit intheverythrone of God, and exalts himself above all that is called God, 2 Thef. ii. 4.
When God puts a crown upon the head,and afceptre into the hand ofa man,he engraves upon thatman(in a qualified sense) both his name, and the lively characters of his Majesty and authority, Psal. lxxxii. 6. " I have said, ye are gods, and " all of you the children of the Most High."
But yet, in all the grants and conveyances of Heaven,there is always a reservation and salvo to the divine prerogative, to * displace it at pleasure, and set it upon what head he shall please, Ezek. xxi.
26. " Thus faith the Lord God, Remove the diadem, and take " off the crown : This shall not be the fame: Exalthim that is
" low, and abase him that is high."
Though dominion be not founded in grace, yet grace both embellishes, and secures thedomnion of men.
The princes of Psal. ii. 10, 11, 12 . the earth owe fealty and homage to Jesus * Christ ; and had some of them been more * The Lord dethrones kings,disposes of kingdoms..
A Coronation-Sermon, preached at Dartmouth.
subject to his laws, their kingdoms had flourished, and their government been more auspicious.
The coronation-day ofa king, is, ina sense, the marriagedaybetwixthim and his people,and is accordingly solemnized with all the signs and demonstrations of joy and gladness: For thesbout ofakingis among them.
Thuswhenthe crown ofIfrael wassetuponthe head of Solomon,the scripture represents theirexuberantjoy,in an elegant, and lofty hyperbole: 1 Kings i. 40. " And all the people came up after him, and the peo- " plepipedwith pipes, and rejoicedwithgreatjoy,so that the
" earth rent with the found of them."
Carnal men rejoice carnally, and spiritual men should rejoice spiritually : The most glorious part of the folemnityof suchaday, consists in, 1. Praises and prayers for him that wears the crown.
2. Ina spiritual improvement of the action to ourselves.
1. Inpraisesandprayers for the king,whom God hath set over us. Your prayers and praises reflect more glory upon the crown, than all the jewels and sparkling stones with which it shines: And so I am persuaded our king will account it; ac cording toZech. xii. 5. " The governors of Judah shall say in " their hearts, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my
" strength in the Lord of Hosts their God."
Praise thy God, O England! for setting thy crown this day upon theheadofa Protestant prince; who accounted not his treasures, or blood, dear unto him, to redeem the interest of Christ out of the dangers that were ready to swallow it up.
Pray fervently for your king this day: The concernments ofthepeopleofGodaresogreatinhim,as thattheyexact from all the faints the uttermost importunity in prayer.
(1.) That God would cleanse and wash the crown of England from all that guilt and pollution it hath contracted under former governments, that the sins of thecrownmaynot descend with it.
(2.) That the royal head on which it shall be set this day, maybe filledwiththewisdom of God, and matched with an holy heart, inflamed with love to God,and zealfor his glory.
(3.)That as soonasmenhave set the crown upon his head, he may chearfullytake it off again, and cast it at the feet of Jesus Christ, as the twenty-four elders did, Rev. iv. 10. " And " the twenty-four elders fell down before him that fat on " the throne, andworshippedhimthat liveth for ever and ever,
" and cast their crowns before the throne," &c.
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426 A Coronation-Sermon, preached at Dartmonth.
(4.)That God would make the crown fit easy, and long upon his royal head.
Easy, because crowns are usually lined with thorny cares; and long, for the church's peace and tranquillity.
Secondly, The next thing belonging to the duefolemnity of this day, will be the spiritual improvement of the whole scene of actions,to your own instruction and spiritual advantage ; and this will be much more glorious,than all the triumphant arches,royal robes,thundering guns, and loud acclamationsofthe people. To this purpose,I have chosen this text, for the direction, and fpiritualizing of the duties of the day.
" Go forth, ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon, " with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him, in the " day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his
" heart."
This book of the Canticles, isa spiritual epithalamium, sung in parts,betwixttheheavenlyBridegroom, and the bride. The matter of it is most spiritual and weighty, the stile of it rapturous and lofty, the intimate union and communion of Christ and the church, is elegantly illustrated in an allegory of marriage : But nothing isfoundhere light, or obscene.
Procul hinc, procul este profani :
Nilhic nifi castum. * It is a erystal stream of pure spiritual love, sliding fweetlybetwixttwopleasant banks, Christ and the church.
In the ninth and tenth verses you have the description of a triumphant chariot,preparedbyking Solomon for thedaugh. tersofJerufalem: "The pillars thereof of silver, the bottom
" of gold, the covering of purple, and the midst thereofpaved " with love." A chariot is aninstrumentframed for easy, safe, andhonourable conveyance : This chariot is the covenant of grace, fittedbyChrist for the safe and honourable transporting of his bride, the church, through this world, to her statelypavi-
lion, or glorious mansion in the highest heavens .
But how stately and magnificent soever this royal chariot be, he that contrived and framed it is much more glorious to behold: And therefore,in the next words,which are my text, believers are summoned, and invited to behold and contemplate
Christ, that framed it: " Go forth,ye daughters of Zion, and " behold king Solomon, with his crown," &c.
In which words we have,
1. The spectators summoned, or invited.
* Hence, far hence what e'er's profane :
There's nought to feed your unchaste flame,
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2. The Spectacle they are invited to fee.
1. The spectators invited ; the daughters of Zion.
ByZion, understand the church ; and by the daughters of Zion, the members of the church, oreveryparticularbeliever : These are here invited, or summoned to go forth, i e. of their entangling, diverting temptations; and to behold, viz. by the eye of faith, this most glorious,and heart-ravishing object.
2. The spectacle they are invited to behold and contemplate; king Solomon, with his crown, &c. the most illustrious, glorious, and ravishing fight that ever the eyes of men did, or shall behold. By king Solomon, understand Christ; of whom
Solomon in this book, is the figure,or shadow; yet one to whom Solomon, in all his glory was but adepainted fun on a signpost, to the fun inthemid-heavens, shining inallhisglory.
And by his crown, understand not any material crown, as that of Solomon'swas;but thegloryandhonourthatis put upon
Christ,thekingofZion;of which gloryacrownis the emblem.
What crown is here meant, interpreters are not all agreed about it ; some would have it to be understood of our human nature, which he was crowned withalbyhis mother Mary, of whom he took it : But though this assumption of our nature, put fuchacrown of glory upon it as it never had before, yet it was rather an obscuring of Christ's glory, than any addition of glory to him.
Others interpret it of the crown of thorns, with which his mother (the Jewish church, or synagogue) crowned him in the day of his passion at Jerusalem : But this seems to be as hard and foreign a sense as the former.
The most judicious expofitors are agreed in a third sense, viz. That, by the crown on Christ's head, we are to understand that glory and honour, which believers give unto, or put upon Christ, when in the day of their espousals to him by faith, renouncing Satan, fin, and all that had exercised dominionoverthem before, with all trust anddependance on any righteousness of their own, they give their deliberate, full, and hearty consent, that Christ alone shall reign over them for ever and ever; saying, " The Lord is our King, the Lord is
" our Judge, the Lord is our Law giver." Christ is " the Lord " our righteousness," and in allthingswewillobey him. This
Christ esteems as a crown of glory put upon his head, in the day of his efpoufals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.
There is no such honour, no such pleasure a poor sinner can give to Christ, as to believe in him ; this is as the putting of a
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A Coronation-Sermon, preached at Dartmouth. crownofgloryupon his head.
It is true, it adds no glory to him,but it is the greatest manifestation of his glory, we are capabletomake.
Objection. But then it will be objected, in what fenfebelievers can be tolerably stiled his mother ? For the text tells us, it was the crown his mother put upon him.
Answer. They may be so stiled in a double respect :
(1.) Because Christ is formed in every believer,he is (in a spiritual sense) conceived and formed in their souls, as the child isformedinits mother'swomb.
So the apostle speaks, Gal. iv. 19. " My little children, of whom I travail again in " birth, till Christ be formed in you."
(2.) In respect of the dear affection Christ bears to every soul thatbelieveth in him. No man loves his brother, sister, or mother, as Christ esteems and loves believers, Mark iii. 34. when he was told, his mother and brethren were without seeking him ; he said, "Behold my mother, and my brethren:
For whosoever shall do the will of God,the same is mybro- " ther, and sister, and mother." The day of a sinner's consent tocomeunderChrift's government, is the day of his espousals,
2Cor. xi. 2, and the day of a sinner's esponsals to Christ, is the day of the gladness of his heart, Luke xv. 32.
Thus you have the partsandsense of the text. The point from it is this :
Doct. That the day of a believer's espousals to Christ by faith, is to Christ as the day ofa king's coronation is to him, even the day of the gladness of his heart.
It is very remarkable, what we find inLukex. 21. where the Spirit hath carefully recorded one hourofjoy in the life of Christ; for he had not many,being am an of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. "In that hour,Jesus rejoiced in spirit," faith the text: And what hour was that ? Why, it was the fame hour in which the seventy returned with these joyful tidings to him ; " Lord, even the devils are subject to us
" through thy name," ver. 17. The hour when Christ saw " Satan falling as lightning from heaven," ver. 18. his kingdom tottering, his forces routed by the gospel, his subjects running away to Christ, from under his cruel bondage, and madewillingtocomeunder his government: " In that hour,
" Jesus rejoiced in spirit."
This was joyful news to Christ, it was the day of the gladness of his heart: He had now got a new throne in the souls of poor sinners, over whom the devil and fin had reigned; this was a crown of glory to Christ.
In opening this point, I shall discourse these three things :
A Coronation-Sermon, preached at Dartmouth.
(1.) In what respect a sinner's espousals to Christ resembles thedayofa king's coronation over his subjects.
(2.) Wherein these two days differ each from other.
(3.) Onwhataccounts it is the day of the gladness of Christ's heart, as the textçalls it.
Andthenapply it.
Letmethew the resemblances and agreements which are betwixt the day ofa king's coronation, and the day of afinner's espoufals toChristbyfaith. And this will appear in fix respects : 1.4
(1.) A king that is duly crowned overhissubjects, hath a lawful righttogovern them,either bylinealdescent, conquest, or compact.
Solomon had his rightandtitle to the kingdom, bydefcentfrom his royal fatherDavid, who, by his last will and testament, constituted and appointed him to be his immediate successor upon the throne of Israel, 1 Kings i. 35. The Roman Caesar's title to that kingdom, was by conquest, and this title was legitimatednotonlybytheJews acknowledgment of it,but alfoby Christ's express owning it, andfubmiflion to it.
The people said, "We have no king but Caesar," John xix. 15. And Christ owned it, Luke xx. 25. when he had paid tribute,saying, "Give unto Caesar,the things that are Caesar's."
ButDavid had his title by compact with, and voluntary elec-
tion of the people: Abner confers with the elders of Israel about it, and they meet David atHebron, and there chuse him king, in the room of Saul, 2 Sam.v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. and that in consideration of the eminent service he had performed for that kingdom, in delivering them from their mortal enemies the Philistines, enemies to their religion, and civil liberties. And certainly, the crown of Israel was not a reward above the meritofsuch a performance. "Then came all the " tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and said, Behold we
" are thy bone, and thy flesh.
Also intimepast, when Saul "waskingoverus,thou wast he that leddest out, and brought- " est in Israel: And the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed
" my people Israel; and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.
"So all the elders of Ifraelcame to the king to Hebron, and " kingDavidmade a league with them inHebron, before the " Lord : And they anointed David king over Israel."
But Christ hath right to reign over our souls, by all these titlesandclaims: The throne of our souls, by his Father's constitution anddeeree, Psalm ii.6. " Yet have I set my kingu- " ponmyholy hill of Zion ;" by conquest, for he wins it by the sword of his Spirit,before he poffeffeth it, 2Cor. x.45-
A Coronation-Sermon, preached at Dartmouth. the casts down by spiritual weapons allthatopposeth, and brings every thought into obedience to him. And he hath right also, by consent and compact, Pfalmcx. 3. "The people shall
" be willing in the day of thy power."
Of which more anon.
(2.) On the coronation-day,kings appear in all their royal robes, glittering jewels, and all the luftre that can be put upon them; they shine in the eyes of the people more gloriously than all that are about them.
Velut luna, interminorafidera; There is none like him, in the beautyofhisornaments. Much more doth Christ excel all others in beauty and glory, in the eyes of those thatchusehim for their Lord and King.
I Pet. ii. 7. "To you that believe, he is precious." Η τιμης Ηοnour itself.
Col. i. 17. "He is before all things ;" not only in time, or in order,but in real dignity, and solid glory and excellency.
So his spouse pronounceth him, Psalm xlv. 2.
"Thou art fairer than the children of men; grace is poured " into thy lips." And Cant. v. 10. "My beloved is white
" and ruddy; the chiefest among ten thousand."
Examine and mark all the creatures in both worlds, angels and men, andtheybear no more proportion to Christ in glory, than a glow-worm to the sun.
(3.) On the coronation-day, the consent of the people is demanded, and given.
Consent was demanded by Abner, in the behalf of David, 2 Sam. iii. 17, 18. and freely given by them, in order to David's coronation, 2 Sam. v. 1, 2, 3,4.
Thus at the coronation of our kings, the consent of the nobles and commonality is demanded on the public theatre, in these words:
66 I Here present you such an one, (naming the king) the "
" willing to do your homage, service,anddobounden duty to " him ?"
Andtheysay, E are willing; or W " fignifythey are so, by their loud and joyful acclamations."
So it is, when Christ is crowned King over the soul ; his right is asserted, and their confentdemanded by his ambassadors ; the believer manifests his hearty consent, Psalm cx. 3.
" Thy people shall be willing inthedayofthy power." And overall that are made truly willing to receive him, he reigns, and invests them with all the privileges of his kingdom, John i. 12. The unbeliever is not willing to come under Christ's government.
John v. 4. You will not come to me, &c. And
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the issue of their unwillingness, is their eternal ruin, Luke xix. 27. " But those mine enemies, that would not that I should
" reign over them; bring them hither, and slay them before "me." Nowtomakea foul trulywillingto acceptChrift's government, and give his consent to him, four things must be done upon, and by such a soul : (1.) He must be convinced of his sin and misery; noman will be willing to change his Lord, whilst he finds no matter of complaint. (2.) He must know, and deliberate upon the terms of Christ ; for an ignorant person cannot be said to consent ; Non confentit, qui non fentit.
Christ will have all the world to know his terms, and will not hide the worst and hardest things from them, whether they like them or not : No man shall say afterwards, I was fur prized, or imposed upon; had I known this, I had never consented to be a Christian.
Therefore the hardest terms ofChriftianity are plainly propounded, Lukexiv. 26. and that to cut off all after-pleas and pretencesfor refiling from Christ, John xvi. 1. " These things have I spoken to you, that ye should not " be offended in me." (3.) Upon deliberation,there must appear to the foul that chuseth Christ, andconsents to his government, a preponderating good ; that Christ, with all his reproaches and sufferings, is better than fin, with all its honours and pleasures : No man will change for no advantage, much less to his loss.
Thus Moses saw more glory and excellency in the very reproaches of Christ, than in all the treasures of Egypt, or pleasures of fin, Heb. xi. 25, 26. O ! faith the foul, though there be hard and bitter sufferings in the way of godliness, yet it is infinitely better for me to endure them for Christ, thantobedamned. And upon balancing the gains and losses, the conveniences and inconveniences of Christianity, the odds appear so great, that the soul pronounceth they are not worthy to be compared, Rom. viii. 18. (4.) When all is done, there must be a divine Almighty influence upon the will ; without which, men will never heartily consent to Christ's terms.
"Noman (faith Christ) can come unto me, except my Fa- " ther, which hath sent me, draw him," John vi. 44. This influenceofGodupon the will, is in away suitable to its nature, Hos. xi. 4. and produceth a consent without coaction.
If the Lord shew anymanthe infinite advantages that come and accrue to his soul by Christ, this very discovery doth, as it were, compel that man to come in to Christ ; as that expression is used, Luke xiv. 23. a scripture vilely abused in our times.
Christ compels none into his kingdom, as the Spaniards did the poor Indians tobaptifm, or as others have been
432 A Coronation-Sermon, preached at Dartmouth. compelled to the Lord's table : He will reign over a willing people, or not reign at all.
(4.) On the coronation-day, a champion appears on the king's behalf, to challenge any that shalldenyhisright, or by allurements or threatenings attempt to draw his subjects from their duty and allegiance: He throws down the gantlet, and defies the proudest enemy the king hath.
SowhenChrift is crowned King overthefoulsofhis people, there is a public defiance bid, a formal challenge given, to all the enemies of Christ and his people; as you may read at large,
Rom. viii. 33, 34, 35. " Who shall lay anything to the charge "of God's elect ? Who is he that condemneth ? Who shallse- "parateus from the love of Christ ?" Devils and men are defied to do their worst. Christ must reign,till all his enemies are put under his feet: Sin shall nothavedominionoverhispeople, for they are not under the law, but under grace.
Come, Gebal, Ammon, andAmalek; come Satan, and all his infernal powers; they are all defied in the name of Christ. Believers are his own subjects,and none shallpluckthem out of his hand.
(5.) At, or about, the coronation-day, an act ofindemnity, pardon and oblivion, is past and published, pardoning the of fences the subjects had committed untothatday. Thus it is at the day of Christ's coronation over the believer's soul, and its espousals to him by faith ; all his fins are pardoned, new and old, great and small. And of this, proclamation is openly made in the gospel, Acts x. 43. "To him give all the pro- "phets witness, that through his name,whosoeverbelieveth in "him, shall receive remission of sins." O glorious pardon ! free without purchase; full without exception, and final without revocation. Now there is a goal-delivery, the prison-doors are open, liberty proclaimed to the captives, Ifa. Ixi. 1,2.
The King of Sion is amercifulKing, and his subjects shall find him fo: They have gladded his heart, by accepting his government ; and he will glad theirs, by his pardons:
The Sonhathmade them free, and they are free indeed.
(6.) In a word, a coronation-day is adayofgladness, a day ofjoyandtriumph ; joy displays itself in the faces of all loyal subjects ; those only that had rather be under another government, hang the head, and bite the lip.
So it is here; all that are loyal subjects to Jesus Christ, rejoice exceedingly in his government; and itmustneeds be so, because his kingdom consists in joy in the HolyGhoft, Rom, xiv. 17. When Zaccheus came under this King, he came down joyfully, Luke xix. 6,9. when the eunuch received
A Coronation-Sermon, preached at Dartmouth.
him for his Lord and King, he went home rejoicing, Acts viii. 39. when Şamaria submitted to his fceptre, there was greatjoyin that city,Acts viii. 5, 6, 7. and let thejoybewhat it will, the causes of joy are greater than the joy itself.
But thosethatbelongtoSatan's kingdom, that love to be under the dominion off in, and hate the strictness and severities of religion; these are the only male contents ; these fret to see Christ's kingdom enlarged, andsecretlyplot to destroy it.
Thus we •see the agreement betwixttheday ofa king's coronation over his subjects, and Christ'scoronationoverbelievers.
But though they harmonize in these particulars, and divers others that maybe named; yet, 2dly, There are as many remarkable differences anddifa greements betwixt them, but none to the believers loss ordifadvantage; for they all fall on his side: As, ex. gr.
(1.) It is not the privilege of every subject, no, nor of one among many thousands, to fee the king who is crowned over them, to hear his voice, or give their explicit consent in his presence;but every subject in Christ's kingdomdothseeChrift by the eye of faith. John vi. 40. " He that feeth the Son, and "believeth on him." Seeing, and believing, are terms convertible; they do all hear his voice, and give their explicit consenttotakehim for their King. Union with Christ is not aworktobedone by a proxy, or representative; but it is the refultofa folemndebate betwixt Christ and the soul.
(2.) Kings are crowned over many that love them not, but are filled with prejudice against their persons and government.
But it cannot be so in the kingdom of Christ ; To them that believe, he is precious, 1 Pet. ii. 7. All Christ's subjects love him above father or mother,wife or children, yea, above their own lives; otherwise they cannot be his subjects, Lukexiv.
26. Theyalfodelight in his government,and nothingwouldbe more pleasant totheirfouls, than to find every thought of their heart brought into subjection to him, 2 Cor. x. 4, 5. They dare not confederate with his enemies, and will chuse rather to die, thanforsakehim: They will esteem it a glorious thing, though theirrightarm should be fevered from their shoulder blade, for their regular endeavours to defend and support the crownupontheheadof their royalMafter.
(3.) The relationbetwixtaking and his subjects, may, and must be diffolvedbydeath: death fears not to arrest the most potentmonarchupon his throne, and tranflatehis crown to another head.
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But our King, Christ, lives for ever ; death hath no domi nion over him : his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion that which shall have no end, Dan. vii. 13, 14.
Death is fo far from separating Christ, and his subjects, that it brings them nearer together than ever they were before ; it brings them into his immediate presence, to his facial vision,
1 Cor. xiii.12. and fixes them there for ever, 1 Theff. iv. 17.
(4.) Kings may degenerate unto tyrants, and subjects into rebels ; they may undermine the laws, liberties, and religion of their people : they that rule over the people, may make them to howl, Ifa. lii. 5. The world is too full of such instances and examples ; but Christ can never oppress his subjects. " The fceptre of his kingdom is a right sceptre," Psal. xlv. 6. " His yoke is easy,and his burden is light," Matth. xi.
29. And his true subjects can never shake off their allegiance to him ; they shall rather die,than do it.
(5.) Kings will not permittheirgreatest favourites to fit in their thrones ; it is their peculiar honour, and not communicable to any. Gen. xli. 40. " Only in the throne, I will be
" greater than thou," said Pharaoh to his Joseph.
ButChriftpermits, andappointsallhissubjects to fit with him upon his throne,Rev. iii. 21. The glorywhichGod gave him, he hath given to them,John xvii. 22. What king is like Christ ?
(6.) To conclude: the joy and triumph at a king's coronation, is only among men, in this lower world; but the joy and triumph at Christ's coronation, is among angels in heaven,
Luke xv. 7. The city of God holds a solemn triumph at the converfionofa particular sinner ; what are the shouts of men, to the jubilations of angels ?
Thus you have fix particulars wherein they agree, and as many in which they differ.
We come, in the next place, to enquire into, 3dly, The reasons why Christ's coronation over believers, is thedayofthegladness of his heart. And it must be fo,
(1.) Because it is Christ's marriage-day, at least the day of his espousals ; and the day of marriage, orespoufals, is a day of joy and gladness.
Christ hath now a new spouse, a soul, in which he never dwelt before ; and as a bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, fo doth Christ over believers, Ifa. lxii. 5. Here is anew relation entered, and that with the King of kings ; the angels of God rejoice exceedingly in it, but much more
Christ, the blessed Bridegroom.
(2.) It is Christ's day of conquest and victory over Satan, the day in which hehathdeposedhim from his throne, Matth .
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xii. 29. delivered a foul, of invaluable worth in his eyes, out of the power of darkness, and translated it into his own kingdom, Col. i. 13. and the day of conquest is a day of extra or-
dinaryjoy and triumph, Ifa. ix. 3 .
(3.) It is the day in which he receives the fruit and reward of his bloody travels, and bitter agonies: there is now a son, or daughter, born to God, anheirborn to the heavenly inheritance. Now it is mostpleasantand joyful to Jesus Christ, to see of the travail of his soul, Ifa. liii. 11. no satisfaction in this world comparable to it.
When a young heir is born to the kingdom and crown of heaven, it deserves a triumph..
(4.) It is the day in which Christ finds a soul that was loft, Luke xv. 5, 6. What joy was it to the Father of the prodigal, when he had found his loft son ? Luke xv. 20. there was mirth and music, feasting and rejoicing : " This my Son was loft,
" and is found ; was dead, audis alive."
Poor sinners are loft creatures by nature,they have lost their God, and therein themselves too. God hath loft, and the devil found, every unregenerate sinner : all strayers from God fall to his share.
But this loss is not irrecoverable ; the errand and end for which Christ came into the world, was to seek and to fave that which was lost, Matth. xviii. 11. and when the sinner that was loft comes home to him by repentance and faith, heobtains the end of his incarnation, life, and death, upon that foul ; which cannot but be the day of the gladness of his heart.
If then the day ofa king's espousals, or marriage, be a day ofjoyandgladness to his soul; ifa day of conquest, and dividing the spoils, be a day of joy to the conqueror, after a sharp and bloody fight ; if it be a joy to a mother, after long and fore travail, to embrace her in her arms, and kiss the child, for whom the endured so many bitter throws ; if it be a joy to a father to find and recover a child that was loft, and as dead to him : in a word, if it be high delight and satisfaction to fee a great design, on which the heart is intently set, brought at last, by orderly conduct, to the desired happy issue; then let us allow the day ofa sinner's coming into Christ by conversion, to be as a coronation-day to a king, the day of his efpoufals, and of the gladness of his heart.
Use I. This point, like a fruitful root, fends forth many branches, and all loaden with diversity of fruits.
The first is for information, in several inferences from it.
Inference 1. Beinformedfromhence,what isthetruecause r Iii 2 T
436 A Coronation-Sermon, preached at Dartmouth. and reason of Sat an's rage and spite against the gospel, and the nost painful, able, and successful preachers of it in the world.
Thegreatdesign of the gospel, and of all that fincerelypreach it, istowinandperfuade Satan'ssubjects to forsake his cruel, unjust, and tyrannical government, and submit to the kingdom and sceptre of the Lord Jesus. What is the preaching of the gospel,but the founding of a trumpet in the devil's kingdom, to win his subjects from their allegiance to him, to proclaim another king in his territories ? Every faithful mini ster'sbusiness is, togatherthese wretched vassals ofSatantoge+ ther, and set beforethemthe miserable captivityandbondage they are in, under that tyrant that rules over them, (whose laws, likeDraco's, are written inthebloodoftheir souls), td exaggerate their finand misery, and to let them know how willingChrift is to receive and save them,if they will renounce and abandon Satan'sgovernment. To set before themtheblef fed freedem, and glorious privileges of the subjects of Christ; to beseech and persuade them, to break away from their old cruel master, and come over to Christ : to answer all their pleasandobjections against it, and to denounce the wrath of God against all the refusers of Christ's gracious proclamation.
Now Satan is not ignorant of all this; he esteems the loss of one,muchmorethe revoltofmany, a greater mischief,than a king reckons the lofsofakingdom: and to fee them break a way so fast from him, and be lifted to fight against him ; O how itgrates that envious spirit, and sharpens his malice against the instruments and agents in this work!
This, as a * late worthy speaks, torments the foul spirit, to see himselfforfaken of his old friends and servants, and this new Lord to come and takeaway his subjects from him. Hence come persecutions, flanders, &c. in showers,upon Christ's faithful ministers.' He knowshiskingdom of darkness must vanish, as the light of the gospel rises, and spreads itself.
You read, Rev.xiv.6, 7. of " an angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting
"gospel to preach tothemthatdwell on the earth." And in ver. 8. you have another angel following him, saying,Babylon is fallen, is fallen; that great city ! No sooner is the two-edg ed sword of the gospel drawn, but the next voice is, Victory! victory! He knows every home-charge made by the gospel, will issue inaroutof his infernal legions. Now ministers coming forthagainsthim as heralds, toproclaimChrist's right, and as captains of the army of Christ, their general ; he owes them a particular grudge, and seeks everyway to stop their
*Gurnal's first part, p. 59.
A Coronation-Sermon, preached at Dartmouth.
mouths, and destroy their persons. And furelyhehath pushed hard at them, and madedefperate attempts against them, in our days. No doubt but it was reckoned a great service done him, to shut up the mouths offomany at once; but the time draws nigh,that Babylon must fall, and those that could not lately shew their faces on earth, must fly in the midst of heaven, with the everlasting gospel. The dead witnesses of Christ shall hear shortly a great voice from heaven, saying,
Comeuphither; and they shall ascend in a cloud, their enemies beholding,but notable anymoretohinderthem.
Inference 2. How causeless,and altogether groundless, are thedifcouragements and fearsofhumbledand convinced fin ners,that Jesus Christ will reject them, and shut the door of mercy against them, if they should goto him, and cafttheir poor sinful fouluponhimby faith ?
Certainlyfuchpersons fear, where no fear is. That which is the command of Christ, the earnestdefire of his soul, that act which makes his heart glad, as the text speaks ; can never meet with such arepulfe as you fear.
Was ever any king unwilling to have the crownfet upon his head ? Do they use to frown upon their subjects that are upon the knee, tendering their homage and allegiance to them ?No,no; it is the day ofthegladnessoftheirhearts. Renounce thy old master Satan, give a bill ofdivorcetothose lusts which have reigned over thy foul,ponder well Christ's terms, andheartilyconfent to them, andtrywhetherhe will not quicklyconfutethese vain fears of thine, and fully make good his gracious, sweet, and most encouraging word, John vi. 37. " Him that cometh unto me, I "will innowifecastout."
Afweetencouragement toacomingfoul! And because sense of guilt and unworthiness usually doubles their fears, Christ hath caused a double negative to be put intothattext, on purpose toobviate their fears, anddiscouragements ; &μη εκβαλω εξω : I will not,no, I will not : or, as we render, " I will in no wise cast him out."
Acts of delight flow freely, and easily, and so doth this.
Inf. 3. What an high and honourable relation doth faith bringthefoulofa sinner into!The day of conversion is the day of that foul's espousals to Christ .
A king from heaven makes suit for a poor sinner's heart, woo's for union with sinful creatures, rejoices exceedingly, whenhewinstheirconfent,andespouses them for ever to himself,when he obtains it ; for contract us is nothing else, but consensus explicatus; a contract is consent explained, in affirmativeplainwords, depraefenti.
I de disclaim, and for ever
A Coronation-Sermon, preached at Dartmouth. renounce all others ; and willingly yield up my heart and life to Jesus Christ.
Now, ex contractu oritur vinculum, an obligation results from this contract with Christ, and a most honourable mystical union with him. "He that is joined to " the Lord, is one spirit," I Cor. vi. 17. The greatest honourthatwas ever put upon the human nature, was by its afsumptionintounion with the Son of God,hypoftatically ; and the greatest honourthat can be done to our persons, is by our union with Christ, mystically;hereby we become " Members
" of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones," Eph. v. 30. the spouse of Christ. O what a preferment is this ! What foul feels not itself lifted up far above all earthly honours, in such a relation to Christ as this ? The nobles and barons of the kingdoms, think it a preferment to serve the queen ; and the angels of heaven do notthinkthemselves degraded, by performing service to the bride, the Lamb's wife.
Well might great Constantine prefer the honourofbeing a member of the church, to that of being head of an empire.
Let all the saints understand their dignity and privileges,by thistheirhonourable union with Christ ; and with it let them balance all the reproaches, scorns, and con tempts, this vile world loads them with for his sake.
Inference 4. Be informed hence, of the dreadful and damning nature ofthefin of unbelief; a fin that questions, yea, denies
Christ's right to rule over the soul; blinds the mind, hardens the heart,stiffens the will, and makes thefoulobstinate and inflexible to all the gracious tenders of Christ in the gospel.
Unbelief is the poisonous breath of Sat an, whisperingjealoufies, furmises, and dangerous prejudices against Christ intotheear of the soul, and all tending to this mischievous design and purpose, viz. to hinder or break the treaty of the spiritual marriage betwixt Christ and the soul. Now it will be digging at the very root and foundation of the affenting act, and thus it whispers, how canstthou be sure of the reality of the things reported in the gospel ? Is it not possible they may bedevifed fables, the cunning artifices of men, to keep the world in awe? Thou never fawest Christ, for whose sake thou art so earnestly follicited to renounce all thy real, sweet, and present comforts and enjoyments.
Then it dilates rhetorically upon the severe terms of the gospel, advises the soul to think sadly, how hard, grievous, and unreasonable the demands of Christ are, Luke xiv. 26. " If any man come tome, and hate
" not his father and mother, wife and children, brethren and " sisters,yea, and his own life also, he cannotbemydisciple."
A Coronation-Sermon, preached at Dartmonth,
How likest thou this, foul ? Here are all thy principal comforts, thy most dear and desirable things in the world, both personal and relative, to be forsaken, yea, hated for Christ's fake: the terms are set so high, that a man must lose his brainsandbowels too, faith unbelief, before he can be wrought up to them.
Canst thou endure to fee all the labours of thy life to become a prey to thine enemies ? That which hath cost thee so much study and toil, scattered and destroyed in a day, when itisyetin the power of thine hand tofave all ; thy habitation to cast thee out, thy pleasant fields pofieffed by strangers : Impius has fegetes ; hast thou hardiness enough to encounter beggary ? to fight with hunger, thirst, and nakedness ? to lie in a nasty goal, to endure a parting pull with nearest relatives,which are as thine own soul ? But yet there are harder trials than these.
Canst thou endure a tormenting death, by cruel barbarous enemies ? Canst thou stand quietly at a stake, and endure the exquisite torments of the fire, and that in the fulness of thy time, whilftthou art in the flower of thine age, fulness of thy senses, and haft fo fair a prospect of many pleasant years before thee; and all this for an unseen glory in another world ? These are the feeling arguments urged by infidelity, against embracing Christ's overtures in the gospel, or coming under the fceptre of this new Lord : and with howmanydo they prevail ; thus Satan fixes his subjects, and makes them secure to himself.
But sinner, if God have any intention of saving mercy to thy soul, thou shalt feel the more potent principles of divine faith and love over-powering and sub acting these carnal reasonings within thy soul.
It is admirable to behold the Almighty influences of grace upon nature ; how the drawings of the Spirit, his omnipotent pull at the heart, makes the strongest ties this world hath upon it, to give way, and casily to loose.
Mark x. 28. " Lord, we have left all, and followed thee."
If not,but thou be fixedly resolved not to change Satan's government for Christ's; if thou say in thy heart, and stand to that saying, I will never consent to such hard conditions ; then hear thy sentence, read thy mittimus, Luke xix. 27. " But those
" mine enemies, thatwouldnotthat I should reign over them ; " bring hither, and flay them before me."
The sentence is dreadful, the execution sure ; thy unbelief will as surely damn thee, as a milstone about thy neck, in the midst of the sea, will drown thee, Mark. xiv. 16. " He that believeth not, shall be
" damned."
Thou hast cast the vilestdishonour upon Chritt, T
440 A Coronation-Sermon, preached at Dartmouth. thou hast rejected the only way of salvation ; and what can the illue of thy finalunbeliefbe,but ruin and destruction ?
Use II. My next work will be persuasive work, to gain the confentof the souls to come under the fceptreand government of Christ ; to make his heart glad, and yourselves happy for ever, by your espousals to him : And O that I could this dayfo represent this king in his glory,so discover the miserable thraldom you are in under Satan, and your lusts ; fo clear up the reasonableness and easiness of Christ's terms and demands, that theremightbe as chearful and hearty(though notfo loud and audible) an applause, andacclamations returnedtodemand of your consent to Christ, as this day are, or ever were at the coronation of any king.
1. And to this end, first confider the glory and dignity of the person of Christ; he is the Son of God by nature, the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person,
Heb. i. 3. " He is the Prince of the kings of the earth," Rev. i. 5. The most glorious monarch that ever swayed a fceptre overmen, is but as a worm of the earth, or a despicable infect in the air,compared withSolomoninhisglory; the most perfect beauty in the creatures, beneath or above, is blackness and deformity, in comparison with Christ: the beauty of roses, lilies,fun, stars,angels, is not worthy to be mentioned in comparison with Christ: "Thou art fairer(faith his spouse) than
" the sons of men." None ever saw him savingly by the eye of faith,but were charmed into hisbosom by love. The facial vision of Christ is the feast of blessed souls above.
This king ofglorymakes suit for your hearts this day; he woo's for your consent; he paffedby apostate angels, not once making them a tender of reconciliation or union, but comes to you in his red garments,glorious in his apparel : he shed his invaluable blood to redeem you to God; he loved you, and gave himself for you: if there be a drop of love in your hearts, methinks the excellency of Christ should extract and engage it. Write that man a beast, a senseless stock, that hath no love for Christ.
2. Confider, What a blessed state, abounding with glorious andinvaluableprivileges,your consent to be Christ's is introductiveto: it opens to all privileges, mercies, and blessings, desirable in the eyes of men; it opens into freedom and liberty, from the the vassalage of Sat an,the servitude of fin, the curle of the law, the danger of wrathtocome.
John viii. 36. " If the Son, therefore, make you free, thenareye free indeed."
It opens the door into rest and peace; peace with God,
A Coronation-Sermon, preached at Dartmouth.
peace in your own consciences, Rom. v. 1, 2, 3. The delici . ousness of peace you never yet tasted, who are strangers to Christ; nor ever shall,till you consent to be his, Rev. ii. 17.
This shall be your support, amidst all the confufions and distractions, hurries and tumults, of this restless and unquiet world. Mic. v. 5. " This man shall be the peace when the Af- " fyriancometh into our land, and when he shall tread in our
" palaces." Christ hath pitched his standard in the gospel; repair unto it, come under his banner, and lift yourselves among his faithful subjects, and the gloryoftheworldtocome is yours, if you overcome, and be faithful unto death, Rev. iii. 21. The subjects of Christ, in this kingdom of grace, are shortly to be all translated into the kingdom of glory, Rom. viii. 30.
3. Confider the miserable bondage you are now in, over whom Satan rules, and how your condition still grows worse and worse, till it shall not be capable of any further addition of misery, to make it more abfolutelyand completely miserable.
You are now without God, without a promise, without peace, without the pardon of one fin, Eph. ii. 12. You have no communion with God, nor title to heaven; slaves to your sordid lusts, Tit. iii. 3. you are under the curse, Gal. iii. 16. condemned already,John iii. 18. andwheneveryoudieout of Christ, you shall die in your fins, John viii. 24. He that was your ruler in the world, is to be both your companion and tormentor in the world to come, Matth . xxv. 41 .
Is this a condition to be satisfied in ? Can you sleep quietly in your chains ? O methinks the poor prisoners of Sat an should sigh and cry, through the grates of the prison, especially when they are informed of deliverance at the door.
You have no reason to scare at the terms and conditions propounded to you by Christ ; they are equal, necessary, and easy, Matth. xi. 29. " Come unto me ; myyoke is easy, and "my burden is light.His commands are not grievous," 1 John v. 3. "All his ways are pleasantness, and all his paths are
" peace," Prov. iii. 17. " The joy of the Lord shall be your " strength," Nehemiah viii. 10. If there be repenting work, believing work, fin-mortifying work, or suffering work for you ; there is also a suitable provision of divine assistance, to enable and carry you through it all. 2 Cor. xii. 9. "My grace is fuf- "ficient for thee." Ifmen cast you out, God will receive you,
2Cor. vi. 17, 18. If any sharp trial befal you, there is a door of escape prepared for your outlet, 1 Cor. x. 13. If you meet with trouble in the world,you shall not fail of peace in Christ,
VOL . VIII.
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A Coronation-Sermon, preached at Dartmouth.
John xvi. 33. If you lose any outward enjoyment for Christ's fake, it shall be recompenced an hundred-fold in this world, besides the reward of heaven hereafter, Matth. xix. 29. If you be cast in prison for Christ, the Comforter shall come from heaven, and rest upon you there, I Pet. iv. 13, 14. If you suffer with him, you shall reign with him, 2 Tim. ii. 12.
What think ye, brethren, of Christ's terms now ? What is there here, for men to scare and fright at ? Can you mend yourselves elsewhere ? O when shall the match be made?
When will you come to Christ, and say, Lord, I heartily •consent to take thee for my King : I am pleased with the hardest condition required in thy word ??
4. Lastly, Be convinced of the unreasonableness of all that you can pretend against this great duty. If you fay, The pains ofmortification are hard, you must in reason yield, that the pains of damnation are harder, and that it is better for you to "enter into life, halt and maimed, than having two eyes or "hands, to be cast into hell ; where the worm dies not, and "where the fire is not quenched," Matth. v. 29. Ifyousay, you have no power to come to Christ, your consciences will presently tell you, that you neveryetput forth the uttermost power that you have, in striving for your own salvation : It will also tell you, that you suppose you have such a power; else why have you so long delayed repentance and conversion upon this pretence, that you will seriously perform them hereafter ? Besides, though your endeavours do not oblige God to do that for you, you cannot do of yourselves ; yet it is more probable he will do so, when you strive to your utmost, than when you carelefly neglect those duties, and give yourselves up to the contrary courses.
If you fay, you would strive, if you were assured of success, and that you should be received and accepted by Christ, if you came unto him, and did cast your poor souls upon him,you can answer yourselves, if you will, that you daily spend your time, pains, and studies, upon lefferthings, having no assurance at all offuccess. The hufbandmantoils all day at plough, yet is not affuredof a good harvest; his corn may die in the feed, or be blasted in the ear.
The mariner ventures his estate on the sea, yet hath no assurance ofa good return ; the ship may miscarry.
The miner will dig into the bowels of the earth, and try here and there; yet hath no assurance he shall find that rich veinofore, that shall recompence his cost and pains. Now ifmen will labour fo hard, and adventure so much upon uncertainties, for a littleoftheworld ; doth not your own reason conclude, you
A Coronation-Sermon, preached at Dartmouth. 443 ought to do more, and adventure furtherthanany of them, to obtain Christ, and eternal salvation ? O strive, strive to make your escape out of Satan's kingdom, to Christ : Sit not with folded hands on the feats offloth,saying, It is to no purpose.
Suppose yourselves now upon your death-bed, all earthly. comforts infipidthings to you, conscience prefaging the wrath to come, time and hope ending together; would you not then wish, O that we had been ruled and governed by Christ's laws and Spirit, and not by Satan, and our own lusts ! Had we been the servants of Christ, we had now been going to Christ ; had he governed, he would have saved us : but his servants we are to whom we obey : We have served our lusts, and the wages off in is death.
-Or suppose you saw the gloryofheaven, or the horrors of hell; that you heard the hallelujahs of the palm-bearing multitude, or the shrieks of damned cast-a ways ; would it be fo indifferent a thing to you, whether you obey Christ's call, or no ? Believe it, these are no devised fables, but do really exist, whether you mind them, or not. And why should you not suppose, and forethink things so sure, and so nigh ? A sweez voice comes from heaven this day, saying, let all that expect to enjoy the glory that is here, see that they submit heartily to Christ's fceptre ; for he saves no more than he rules: And the whole number of the glorified in heaven is made up of such as heartily closed with Christ's terms on earth. A dreadful voice comes up from hell, crying (as it were) in your ears ; as ever you expect to escape the miseries and torments that are here, do not reject Christ's yoke and government as we did : Our yielding up of ourselves to the sway and government of our lusts, was our ruin.
Use III. To conclude: Let all men try their own estates, and examine to what king they do indeed belong, and whose subjects in truth they are, Christ's or Satan's ; for these two kingdoms divide the whole world. God hath furnished us with self-reflecting powers; we are able to retire out of the confufednoises of the world, and fit retired in the innermost closet of our own fouls, where none but God and our consciences shall be privy to our debates; and there solemnly demand of our conscience, and charge it to make plain and faithful answers to such questions and enquires as these :
1 Quest. 1. To whom do I yield the most prompt, chearful and constant obedience ? To the commands of Christ, or to the follicitations of Satan and my own lusts ? He that hath my obedience, the fame is my Lord and King, Rom. vi. 16. " Το
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444 A Coronation-Sermon, preached at Dartmouth.
" whomye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye " are towhomye obey." When God andconfciencecalls me to pray,and theworldcalls me off to attend its ensnaring plea fures, and unnecessary employments ; which of these calls do
I pay obedience to?
Quest. 2.Who governs the secretandunseenpart of my life?
That everyman is, in the accountofGod, which he is in secret, Rom. ii. 28, 29. Now who is king in the closet ? And what rules do my thoughts move by ? If Christ bring my thoughts into obedience, so that I dare not indulge to myself a finfulliberty to enjoy the speculative pleasure of the sins I have acted, orwouldact, had I opportunity for it: And ifI am in the fear ofGodwhenalone,and make conscience of my secret, as well as public duties ; then I am under Christ's governe ment, and he is king of my soul, 2 Cor. x. 5. Matth. vi. 6.
But if I make an external shew of obedience to Christ, and se. cretlyobeymy lusts ; I am really the servantoffin, and belong to another king. O myconfcience ! what sayeft thou to these things?
Quest. 3. Whom do I follow, or heartily resolve to follow, when itcomestoa parting-point betwixt Christ and the world ; when I must cleave to the one, and forsake the other ? Matth. vi. 24. Do I with full purpose ofheartcleave to the Lord? Acts xi. 23. Is it my sincere resolution to follow the Lambwhitherfoever he goeth ? Rev. xiv. 4. Or have I secret reserves to quit
Christ's service, and give religion the flip, when it comes to real distress and difficulty ? These are founding questions, and will discover whose government we are under.
The CONCLUSION.
Thus I have endeavoured to fpiritualize and improve the great and solemn actions of this good day; a day for which (I hope) the children yet unborn shall praise the Lord. How happywillourking and queen be, if they reign over a people that Christ reigneth over ; and will confcientiouflypaythem obedience in, and for the Lord! I believe it will be a greater joytotheirfouls, to fee you set the crown upon Christ's head.. inyoursubjectionto his laws, than to seethe imperial crown of England set upon their own heads. Religion breeds the best subjects, Let England praise the Lord for such a day as this ! how manyfad years are run out, since it fawthe crown upon the heads ofa Protestant king and queen at once! Let faithful magistrates rejoice they shall nevermorebeputupon the odious and dangerous drudgeryof persecuting goodmen, under fuchagovernment as this: