Section 1127
I. I shall give some further account of the word behind, which directs the saints to walk in the right way
And by this we are to understand, not the word spoken by angels; (Hebrews 2:2) which is the law that was given to Moses, by the disposition of angels. (Acts 7:53) When God appeared on mount Sinai, it was with great solemnity and majesty; he came with ten thousands of saints, his holy ones, the angels; from his right hand went a fiery law; (Deuteronomy 33:2) which was received by those ministering spirits, and was ordained, or disposed of by them, in the hand of a mediator; (Galatians 3:19) which mediator was Moses. But though a word spoken by them, and delivered out with so much solemnity, required the strictest attention and regard; yet this is not the word intended here; for that was a voice of words which they that heard, intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more; for they could not endure that which was commanded: (Hebrews 12:19, 20) it was a voice of terror, and devoid of mercy; it accused of sin; pronounced men guilty; cursed them on account of it, and was a ministration of condemnation and death. But the word in our text, is the still small voice of the gospel, the voice of Christ; which his sheep hear, and are capable of distinguishing from the voice of a stranger: it is a word clothed with power, and is effectual to many great and wonderful purposes; it is a soul-shaking, and heart-breaking voice. What is said of the voice of the Lord, may, in some sense, be applied to this; The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty; the voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness. (Psalm 29:4, 5, 8) This is a means not only of awakening and convincing, but also of quickening sinners, dead in trespasses and sins:
The hour is coming, and now is, says Christ, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live; (John 5:25) yea, it is a soul-comforting and reviving word to his people; it is the voice of the charmers, charming exceeding wisely; (Psalm 58:5) it allures the hearts of believers; it ravishes their souls; it raises and engages their affections, and fills their minds with inexpressible delight and pleasure; it is a voice of love, grace and mercy. This word may be considered as spoken and delivered by the ministers of Christ, who are ambassadors for him, and stand in his stead: when they preach his gospel, he speaks in them, and by them; so that he that hears them hears him; and he that despises them, despises him. Now this word, whether it be considered as lying in the Bible, or as spoken by Christ, or as delivered by his faithful ministers, is,
1. The word of God. It comes from him, was dictated by him, is the breath of the Almighty, was given forth by divine inspiration; the writers of it were moved by the holy Ghost; what is said by David of himself, is as true of all the rest of the penmen of the sacred scriptures; the spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue: (2 Samuel 23:2) so that what they wrote was not their own, but God’s: yea, what our Lord Jesus Christ delivered, as the great prophet in Israel, was not his own, but his Father’s: The word which you hear, says he, is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me. (John 14:24) And so what the true and faithful ministers of Christ preach, agreeable to the scriptures of truth, and the gospel of Christ, is to be regarded and received, not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God. (1 Thessalonians 2:13) And, indeed, the wonderful things which are done by it, and which can be ascribed to nothing else but the power of God going along with it, bear a testimony to it, and prove it to be his; such as quickening of dead sinners, opening blind eyes, unstopping deaf ears, softening hard hearts, subduing rebellious wills, reconciling minds which were enmity to God, to Christ, to his gospel, ordinances and people; and delivering souls out of the power of darkness, and translating them into the kingdom of God’s dear Son.
2. It is the word of truth. (Ephesians 1:13) The scriptures, in which it lies, are the scriptures of truth; it comes from the God of truth: the sum and substance of it is Christ, who is the truth. It is opened and applied, and men are guided into it by the spirit of truth. It consists of a set and chain of truths which are inseparably connected together; the principal of which lies in those words; This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15)
3. It is the word of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19) It gives the plan and model of reconciliation, as it was drawn in the divine mind and counsel from everlasting: it points out this as the work cut out for the Messiah before he came; and acquaints us, that he assumed human nature in order to do it; and that the elect of God, even while they were enemies, were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; and that he has actually, and completely, made peace for them by the blood of his cross; whence the gospel is called, The gospel of peace, and the word preaching peace by Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. (Ephesians 6:15, Acts 10:36)
4. It is the word of righteousness; (Hebrews 5:13) not only because it teaches and engages men to live righteously and soberly, but because therein is revealed the righteousness of God, from faith to faith; (Romans 1:17) even that righteousness, which Christ, who is God over all, has wrought out for his people; which God is well pleased with, and graciously imputes unto them; his justice being satisfied with it, and his law magnified and made honorable by it; and which faith lays hold upon as a justifying righteousness; being pure, spotless, perfect and complete; and so by it, all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:39)
5. It is the word of life. (Philippians 2:16) It is the Spirit which giveth life; it is the means of giving and communicating spiritual life to dead sinners, when attended with the spirit and power of Christ; it is the favor of life unto life, and also the means of reviving and refreshing drooping believers; and moreover, shows the path of life, the way to eternal life and happiness by Christ; for life and immortality are brought to light, not by the light of nature, nor by the law of Moses, but through the gospel of Christ. (2 Timothy 1:10)
6. It is the word of salvation. (Acts 13:26) It brings the news of salvation by Christ; it is a declaration of it; it gives an account both of the author and nature of it; it describes the persons interested in it; it encourages poor souls to look to Christ for it, and is the means of the application of it; it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth. (Romans 1:16)
Now such a word as this which comes from God, is clothed with his authority, has the signature of truth upon it, and is charged with matters of the greatest moment and concern; such as our reconciliation with God, our justification before him, and the way of life and salvation by Christ, ought to be attended to; and whatsoever that makes known unto us, enjoins on us, or directs us to, should be regarded by us; which brings me,