Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

soul is refined from all delights of sin, yea, even from sinless delights of sense and of this present world, it hath the more capacity, the fitter and the larger room for this pure, heavenly delight.

No language can make a natural man understand what this thing is to rejoice in God. Oh! it is a mystery. Most mind poor, childish things, laughing and crying at a breath at trifles, easily puffed up, and as easily cast down; but even the children of God are too little acquainted with this their portion. Which of you find this power in the remembrance of God, that it doth overflow and drown all other things, both your worldly joys and worldly sorrows, that you find them not? And thus it would be if we knew him. Is he then our Father, and yet we know him not?

Although all fail, yet rejoice in him that fails not, that alters not; he is still the same in himself, and to the sense of the soul that is knit to him; then sweetest, when the world is bitterest. When other comforts are withdrawn, the loss of them brings this great gain -so much the more of God, and his love imparted, to make all up. They that ever found this, could almost wish for things that others are afraid of. If we knew how to improve them, his sharpest visits would be his sweetest; thou wouldest be glad to catch a kiss of his hand, while he is beating thee, or pulling away something from thee that thou lovest, and bless him while he is doing so.

Rejoice in God, although the fig-tree blossom not, &c. Yea, rejoice in these hardest things, as his doings. A heart rejoicing in him, delights in all his will, and is surely provided for the most firm joy in all estates; for if nothing can come to pass besides or against his will, then cannot that soul be vexed that delights in him, and hath no will but his, but follows him in all times, in all estates; not only when he shines bright on them, but when they are clouded, That flower that follows the sun, doth so even in cloudy days; when it doth not shine forth, yet it follows the hidden course and motion of it: so the soul that moves after God, keeps

that course when he hides his face, is content, yea, glad at his will in all estates, or conditions, or events. And though not only all be withered and blasted without, but the face of the soul little better within to sense, no flourishing of graces for the present, yet it rejoices in him, and in that everlasting covenant that still holds, ordered in all things and sure, as the sweet singer of Israel sweetly expresses it, 2 Sam. xxv. 5. For this, says he, is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. That is a strange although, and yet he is satisfied even in that.

This joy in God, as my God, the God of my salvation, ought to exercise the soul in the darkest and worst times, and ought to stick to it, not to let go this confidence; still expecting salvation from him, and resting on him for it, though not having those senses and assurances that thou desirest. This, weak believers are easily beaten from by temptation; but we are to stand to our right in him, even when we see it not : and when it is said to thee, as Psalm iii. 2, that there is no help for thee in God, tell all that say so, they lie; He is my God, my glory, and the lifter up of my head, as he here speaks.

Rejoice in him still as thy God; and, however, rejoice in him as God. I will rejoice in Jehovah, glad that he is God, that his enemies cannot unsettle nor reach his throne; that he rules, and is glorious in all things; that he is self-blessed, and needs nothing: this is the purest and highest kind of rejoicing in him, and is certainly most distant and most free from alteration, and hath indeed most of heaven in it.

SERMON V.

1 Cor. i. 30:

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

THE great design of the gospel is to bring men to Jesus Christ; and, next to that, to instruct those that are brought to him in the clearest knowledge, and to keep them in the fresh remembrance of the privileges and happiness they have in him. This the apostles, writing to new converts, are much on, and Paul most abundantly; but no where more excellently and fully than in these words.

As that is a great and much-commended oracle, zvædi σeavtov, (know thyself,) so also there can be nothing more comfortable and profitable for a Christian than this point, to understand his new being, to know himself as out of himself in Christ, to study what he is there. Oh! what joy, what humility, what holiness would it work, were we well seen and much conversant in this subject, viewing ourselves in this light, as here the apostle represents a believer to himself, Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, &c.

If we look back a little, we see his aim is to vindicate the doctrine of Christ from contempt in that chief point which is the greatest comfort and glory, yet lies openest to the world's contempt, the doctrine of the cross, Christ crucified. Him we preach, says he, let men take it as they please; be he a stumblingblock to the Jews, and foolishness to the Gentiles, yet, to them that believe, among both, he is the power of God, and wisdom of God.

As in the person of Christ, glory was wrapped up in meanness; so in his sufferings and death; and the doctrine of it, and in the way of preaching it, they

are not dressed with human wisdom, or excellency of speech. This would be as incongruous as that rich gaudy attire they cover the image of the virgin with, and her child lying in a stable. And that all might be suitable, so is it in the persons of those that believe on him. Brethren, you see your calling, &c.; and God's purpose in this is, that no flesh should glory before him.

This is the grand disease of flesh, to swell in con. ceit of any little advantages, real or imagined, forgetting itself and him from whom it receives all, receives its very self, the being it hath, and all superadded good. Now, God is pleased, in justice on some, and great mercy to others, so to order most things in the world as to allay this tumour; often bringing down high things, and raising low; and so attempering and levelling disparities, as to take men off from selfglorying. Proud undertakings we see are commonly most disgracefully broken. Nor is there any surer presage of the speedy ruin of any affairs or persons, than presumptuous boasting. This is God's work amongst men, as even natural men have observed, to abase high things, to exalt low things; he goes from one thing to another, pulling down the crest, and blasting the glory of all human excellency, breaking the likeliest projects, and effecting what is least to be expected, withdrawing man from his purpose to hide pride from his eyes, as Elihu speaks, Jobxxxiii. 17. To this purpose, see Job x. 11, 12; 1 Sam. ii. 4,5; and the virgin in her song, Luke i. 51, 52. Whatsoever men

bear themselves big upon, and begin to glory in, they call the hand of God to crush it, raising an idol of jealousy in his sight. All high things have their day; the day of the Lord on all the cedars of Lebanon, and he alone exalted. If ever this was the case in any time, we may see it is legible in ours, in great letters. This is the very result of his ways, staining the pride of all glory, defeating witty counsels, making counsellors mad, throwing down all plumes and trampling them in the mire, that no party or persons in the kingdom

can set out for any triumph of courage, or wit, or any other excellency, but somewhat shall be clearly seen to meet and dash it in pieces, that no flesh may glory before him; and this to souls that love God, is the main happiness of the times, and that wherein they will chiefly rejoice.

The particular here spoken of is eminently suited to this end, the choice and calling of persons to the dignity of Christians. Not many wise, &c., but the mean things, &c., and the most insignificant, things that are not, non-entia, very nothings, to annul things that seem most to be something. Thus it was in the first times; and though afterwards, by means of these meaner persons, greater were caught and drawn into Christ, philosophers and kings, &c., yet still it remains true in all times, that, predominantly, the choice is of the meaner sort; God testifying how little he esteems those things that men account great. Those endowments of wit and eloquence that men admire in some, alas! how poor are they to him! He respecteth not any who are wise in heart; they are nothing, and less than nothing in his eyes: he is the author of all these. Job xxxiv. 19. Even wise men admire how little it is that men know, how small a matter lies under the sound of these popular wonders, a learned man, a great scholar, a great statesman: how much more doth the all-wise God meanly account of these! He often discovers, even to the world, their meanness; he befools them. So, valour, or birth, or worldly greatness, these he gives, and gives as things he makes no great reckoning of, to such as shall never see his face; and calls to the inheritance of glory, poor, despised creatures, that are looked on as the offscourings and refuse of the world; these are raised from the dunghill and set with princes, made the sons and daughters of God, entitled each of them to a crown that fades not. Oh, the wonder!

Now, they are not puffed up with this; but the more assurance they have, and the clearer their view is of the state they are called to, the more humble

« ZurückWeiter »