Jonathan Edwards
Introductory remark by the Transcriber
When this sermon was preached, the average listener had a
considerably greater attention span than his modern counterpart.
The reader may therefore be daunted by the length of the sermon.
I had considered abridging it, but finally decided not to.
Some readers will also complain that it gets off to a slow
start. This is standard for an extended speech in any context. An
experienced speaker intending to speak at length will give his
audience a minute or so to settle down into listening mode before
he says anything essential, anything that they must hear if they
are not to miss the whole point of the speech. And those who
stick with him will find that the pace does pick up after the
first page.
The Excellency of Christ
- And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not:
behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root
of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to
loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and,
lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four
beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a
Lamb as it had been slain.--
Introduction
The visions and revelations the apostle John had of the future
events of God's providence, are here introduced with a vision of
the book of God's decrees, by which those events were fore-ordained.
This is represented (Revelation 5:1) as a book in the right hand
of him who sat on the throne, "written within and on the
back side, and sealed with seven seals." Books, in the
form in which they were wont of old to be made, were broad leaves
of parchment or paper, or something of that nature, joined
together at one edge, and so rolled up together, and then sealed,
or some way fastened together, to prevent their unfolding and
opening. Hence we read of the roll of a book Jer. 36:2. It seems
to have been such a book that John had a vision of here; and
therefore it is said to be "written within and on the
back side," i. e. on the inside pages, and also on one
of the outside pages, namely, that which it was rolled in, in
rolling the book up together. And it is said to be "sealed
with seven seals," to signify that what was written in
it was perfectly hidden and secret; or that God's decrees of
future events are sealed, and shut up from all possibility of
being discovered by creatures, till God is pleased to make them
known. We find that seven is often used in Scripture as the
number of perfection, to signify the superlative or most perfect
degree of anything, which probably arose from this, that on the
seventh day God beheld the works of creation finished, and rested
and rejoiced in them, as being complete and perfect.
When John saw this book, he tells us, he "saw a strong
angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the
book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor
in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book,
neither to look thereon." And that he wept much, because
"no man was found worthy to open and read the book,
neither to look thereon." And then tells us how his
tears were dried up, namely, that "one of the elders said
unto him, "Weep not, Behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah
hath prevailed" etc. as in the text. Though no man nor
angel, nor any mere creature, was found either able to loose the
seals, or worthy to be admitted to the privilege of reading the
book, yet this was declared, for the comfort of this beloved
disciple, that Christ was found both able and worthy. And we have
an account in the succeeding chapters how he actually did it,
opening the seals in order, first one, and then another,
revealing what God had decreed should come to pass hereafter. And
we have an account in this chapter, of his coming and taking the
book out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne, and of
the joyful praises that were sung to him in heaven and earth on
that occasion.
Many things might be observed in the words of the text; but it
is to my present purpose only to take notice of the two distinct
appellations here given to Christ.
- He is called a Lion. Behold, the Lion of the tribe
of Judah. He seems to be called the Lion of the tribe of
Judah, in allusion to what Jacob said in his blessing of
the tribe on his death-bed; who, when he came to bless
Judah, compares him to a lion, Gen. 49:9. "Judah
is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, thou art gone
up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old
lion; who shall rouse him up?" And also to the
standard of the camp of Judah in the wilderness on which
was displayed a lion, according to the ancient tradition
of the Jews. It is much on account of the valiant acts of
David that the tribe of Judah, of which David was, is in
Jacob's prophetical blessing compared to a lion; but more
especially with an eye to Jesus Christ, who also was of
that tribe, and was descended of David, and is in our
text called "the Root of David"; and
therefore Christ is here called "the Lion of the
tribe of Judah."
- He is called a Lamb. John was told of a Lion that
had prevailed to open the book, and probably expected to
see a lion in his vision; but while he is expecting,
behold a Lamb appears to open the book, an exceeding
diverse kind of creature from a lion. A lion is a
devourer, one that is wont to make terrible slaughter of
others; and no creature more easily falls a prey to him
than a lamb. And Christ is here represented not only as a
Lamb, a creature very liable to be slain, but a "Lamb
as it had been slain," that is, with the marks
of its deadly wounds appearing on it.
That which I would observe from the words, for the subject of
my present discourse, is this, namely --
- There is an admirable conjunction of diverse
excellencies in Jesus Christ.
The lion and the lamb, though very diverse kinds of creatures,
yet have each their peculiar excellencies. The lion excels in
strength, and in the majesty of his appearance and voice: the
lamb excels in meekness and patience, besides the excellent
nature of the creature as good for food, and yielding that which
is fit for our clothing and being suitable to be offered in
sacrifice to God. But we see that Christ is in the text compared
to both, because the diverse excellencies of both wonderfully
meet in him, -- In handling this subject I would
- First, Show wherein there is an
admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies in Christ.
Second, Show how this admirable
conjunction of excellencies appear in Christ's acts.
Third, make application.
First, I would show wherein there is an admirable
conjunction of diverse excellencies in Jesus Christ. which
appears in three things:
- A) There is a conjunction of
such excellencies in Christ, as, in our manner of
conceiving, are very diverse one from another.
B) There is in him a conjunction of
such really diverse excellencies, as otherwise would have
seemed to us utterly incompatible in the same subject.
C) Such diverse excellencies
are exercised in him towards men that otherwise would
have seemed impossible to be exercised towards the same
object.
A) There is a conjunction of such
excellencies in Christ as, in our manner of conceiving, are very
diverse one from another. Such are the various divine perfections
and excellencies that Christ is possessed of. Christ is a divine
person, and therefore has all the attributes of God. The
difference between these is chiefly relative, and in our manner
of conceiving them. And those which, in this sense, are most
diverse, meet in the person of Christ. I shall mention two
instances.
- There do meet in Jesus Christ infinite
highness and infinite condescension.
Christ,
as he is God, is infinitely great and high above all. He
is higher than the kings of the earth; for he is King of
kings, and Lord of lords. He is higher than the heavens,
and higher than the highest angels of heaven. So great is
he, that all men, all kings and princes, are as worms of
the dust before him; all nations are as the drop of the
bucket, and the light dust of the balance; yea, and
angels themselves are as nothing before him. He is so
high, that he is infinitely above any need of us; above
our reach, that we cannot be profitable to him; and above
our conceptions, that we cannot comprehend him. Prov. 30:4
"What is his name, and what is his Son's name, if
thou canst tell?" Our understandings, if we
stretch them never so far, cannot reach up to his divine
glory. Job 11:8 "It is high as heaven, what canst
thou do?" Christ is the Creator and great
Possessor of heaven and earth. He is sovereign Lord of
all. He rules over the whole universe, and doth
whatsoever pleaseth him. His knowledge is without bound.
His wisdom is perfect, and what none can circumvent. His
power is infinite, and none can resist Him. His riches
are immense and inexhaustible. His majesty is infinitely
awful.
And yet he is one of infinite
condescension. None are so low or inferior, but Christ's
condescension is sufficient to take a gracious notice of
them. He condescends not only to the angels, humbling
himself to behold the things that are done in heaven, but
he also condescends to such poor creatures as men; and
that not only so as to take notice of princes and great
men, but of those that are of meanest rank and degree,
"the poor of the world," James 2:5. Such
as are commonly despised by their fellow creatures,
Christ does not despise. I Cor. 1:28 "Base things
of the world, and things that are despised, hath God
chosen." Christ condescends to take notice of
beggars Luke 16:22 and people of the most despised
nations. In Christ Jesus is neither "Barbarian,
Scythian, bond nor free" (Col. 3:11). He that is
thus high condescends to take a gracious notice of little
children Matt. 19:14. "Suffer little children to
come unto me." Yea, which is more, his
condescension is sufficient to take a gracious notice of
the most unworthy, sinful creatures, those that have no
good deservings, and those that have infinite ill
deservings.
Yea, so great is his condescension, that
it is not only sufficient to take some gracious notice of
such as these, but sufficient for every thing that is an
act of condescension. His condescension is great enough
to become their friend, to become their companion, to
unite their souls to him in spiritual marriage. It is
enough to take their nature upon him, to become one of
them, that he may be one with them. Yea, it is great
enough to abase himself yet lower for them, even to
expose himself to shame and spitting; yea, to yield up
himself to an ignominious death for them. And what act of
condescension can be conceived of greater? Yet such an
act as this, has his condescension yielded to, for those
that are so low and mean, despicable and unworthy!
Such a conjunction of infinite highness
and low condescension, in the same person, is admirable.
We see, by manifold instances, what a tendency a high
station has in men, to make them to be of a quite
contrary disposition. If one worm be a little exalted
above another, by having more dust, or a bigger dunghill,
how much does he make of himself! What a distance does he
keep from those that are below him! And a little
condescension is what he expects should be made much of,
and greatly acknowledged. Christ condescends to wash our
feet; but how would great men, (or rather the bigger
worms,) account themselves debased by acts of far less
condescension!
- There meet in Jesus Christ, infinite justice
and infinite grace.
As Christ is a
divine person, he is infinitely holy and just, hating
sin, and disposed to execute condign punishment for sin.
He is the Judge of the world, and the infinitely just
Judge of it, and will not at all acquit the wicked, or by
any means clear the guilty.
And yet he is infinitely gracious and
merciful. Though his justice be so strict with respect to
all sin, and every breach of the law, yet he has grace
sufficient for every sinner, and even the chief of
sinners. And it is not only sufficient for the most
unworthy to show them mercy, and bestow some good upon
them, but to bestow the greatest good; yea, it is
sufficient to bestow all good upon them, and to do all
things for them. There is no benefit or blessing that
they can receive, so great but the grace of Christ is
sufficient to bestow it on the greatest sinner that ever
lived. And not only so, but so great is his grace, that
nothing is too much as the means of this good. It is
sufficient not only to do great things, but also to
suffer in order to do it, and not only to suffer, but to
suffer most extremely even unto death, the most terrible
of natural evils; and not only death, but the most
ignominious and tormenting, and every way the most
terrible that men could inflict; yea, and greater
sufferings than men could inflict, who could only torment
the body. He had sufferings in his soul, that were the
more immediate fruits of the wrath of God against the
sins of those he undertakes for.
B) There do meet in the person of
Christ such really diverse excellencies, which otherwise
would have been thought utterly incompatible in the same
subject; such as are conjoined in no other person
whatever, either divine, human, or angelical; and such as
neither men nor angels would ever have imagined could
have met together in the same person, had it not been
seen in the person of Christ. I would give some instances.
- In the person of Christ do meet
together infinite glory and lowest humility.
Infinite glory, and the virtue of humility, meet
in no other person but Christ. They meet in no
created person; for no created person has
infinite glory, and they meet in no other divine
person but Christ. For though the divine nature
be infinitely abhorrent to pride, yet humility is
not properly predicable of God the Father, and
the Holy Ghost, that exist only in the divine
nature; because it is a proper excellency only of
a created nature; for it consists radically in a
sense of a comparative lowness and littleness
before God, or the great distance between God and
the subject of this virtue; but it would be a
contradiction to suppose any such thing in God.
But in Jesus Christ, who is both God
and man, those two diverse excellencies are
sweetly united. He is a person infinitely exalted
in glory and dignity. Phil. 2:6. "Being
in the form of God, he thought it not robbery to
be equal with God." There is equal honor
due to him with the Father. John 5:23. "That
all men should honor the Son, even as they honor
the Father." God himself says to him,
"thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever,"
Heb. 1:8. And there is the same supreme respect
and divine worship paid to him by the angels of
heaven, as to God the Father, ver. 6. "Let
all the angels of God worship him."
But however he is thus above all,
yet he is lowest of all in humility. There never
was so great an instance of this virtue among
either men or angels, as Jesus. None ever was so
sensible of the distance between God and him, or
had a heart so lowly before God, as the man
Christ Jesus. Matt. 11:29. What a wonderful
spirit of humility appeared in him, when he was
here upon earth, in all his behavior! In his
contentment in his mean outward condition,
contentedly living in the family of Joseph the
carpenter, and Mary his mother, for thirty years
together, and afterwards choosing outward
meanness, poverty, and contempt, rather than
earthly greatness; in his washing his disciples'
feet, and in all his speeches and deportment
towards them; in his cheerfully sustaining the
form of a servant through his whole life, and
submitting to such immense humiliation at death!
- In the person of Christ do meet
together infinite majesty and transcendent
meekness. These again are two qualifications that
meet together in no other person but Christ.
Meekness, properly so called, is a virtue proper
only to the creature: we scarcely ever find
meekness mentioned as a divine attribute in
Scripture; at least not in the New Testament; for
thereby seems to be signified, a calmness and
quietness of spirit, arising from humility in
mutable beings that are naturally liable to be
put into a ruffle by the assaults of a
tempestuous and injurious world. But Christ,
being both God and man, hath both infinite
majesty and superlative meekness.
Christ was a person of infinite majesty.
It is he that is spoken of, Psalm 45:3. "Gird
thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy
glory and thy majesty." It is he that is
mighty, that rideth on the heavens, and his
excellency on the sky. It is he that is terrible
out of his holy places; who is mightier than the
noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves
of the sea: before whom a fire goeth, and burneth
up his enemies round about; at whose presence the
earth quakes, and the hills melt; who sitteth on
the circle of the earth, and all the inhabitants
thereof are as grasshoppers, who rebukes the sea,
and maketh it dry and drieth up the rivers, whose
eyes are as a flame of fire, from whose presence,
and from the glory of whose power, the wicked
shall be punished with everlasting destruction;
who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King
of kings, and Lord of lords, who hath heaven for
his throne, and the earth for his footstool, and
is the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity,
whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and of
whose dominion there is no end.
And yet he was the most
marvellous instance of meekness, and humble
quietness of spirit, that ever was; agreeable to
the prophecies of him, Matthew 21:4f "All
this was done, that it might be fulfilled which
was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the
daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto
thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt
the foal of an ass." And, agreeable to
what Christ declares of himself, Matt. 11:29.
"I am meek and lowly in heart."
And agreeable to what was manifest in his
behavior: for there never was such an instance
seen on earth, of a meek behavior, under injuries
and reproaches, and towards enemies; who, when he
was reviled, reviled not again. He had a
wonderful spirit of forgiveness, was ready to
forgive his worst enemies, and prayed for them
with fervent and effectual prayers. With what
meekness did he appear in the ring of soldiers
that were contemning and mocking him; he was
silent, and opened not his mouth, but went as a
lamb to the slaughter. Thus is Christ a Lion in
majesty and a Lamb in meekness.
- There meet in the person of Christ
the deepest reverence towards God and equality
with God. Christ, when on earth, appeared full of
holy reverence towards the Father. He paid the
most reverential worship to him, praying to him
with postures of reverence. Thus we read of his
"kneeling down and praying,"
Luke 22:41. This became Christ, as one who had
taken on him the human nature, but at the same
time he existed in the divine nature; whereby his
person was in all respects equal to the person of
the Father. God the Father hath no attribute or
perfection that the Son hath not, in equal
degree, and equal glory. These things meet in no
other person but Jesus Christ.
- There are conjoined in the person of
Christ infinite worthiness of good, and the
greatest patience under sufferings of evil.
He was perfectly innocent,and deserved
no suffering. He deserved nothing from God by any
guilt of his own, and he deserved no ill from men.
Yea, he was not only harmless and undeserving of
suffering, but he was infinitely worthy; worthy
of the infinite love of the Father, worthy of
infinite and eternal happiness, and infinitely
worthy of all possible esteem, love, and service
from all men.
And yet he was perfectly patient
under the greatest sufferings that ever were
endured in this world. Heb. 12:2. "He
endured the cross, despising the shame."
He suffered not from his Father for his faults,
but ours; and he suffered from men not for his
faults but for those things on account of which
he was infinitely worthy of their love and honor,
which made his patience the more wonderful and
the more glorious. 1 Pet. 2:20, "For what
glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your
faults, ye shall take it patiently, but if when
ye do well. and suffer for it, ye take it
patiently; this is acceptable with God. For even
hereunto were ye called; because Christ also
suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we
should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither
was guile found in his mouth: who when he was
reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered, he
threatened not, but committed himself to him that
judgeth righteously: who his own self bare our
sins in his own body on the tree, that we being
dead to sin, should live unto righteousness: by
whose stripes ye were healed." There is
no such conjunction of innocence, worthiness, and
patience under sufferings, as in the person of
Christ.
- In the person of Christ are
conjoined an exceeding spirit of obedience, with
supreme dominion over heaven and earth.
Christ is the Lord of all things in two
respects: he is so, as God-man and Mediator, and
thus his dominion is appointed, and given him of
the Father. Having it by delegation from God, he
is as it were the Father's vicegerent. But he is
Lord of all things in another respect, namely, as
he is (by his original nature) God; and so he is
by natural right the Lord of all, and supreme
over all as much as the Father. Thus, he has
dominion over the world, not by delegation, but
in his own right. He is not an under God, as the
Arians suppose, but to all intents and purposes
supreme God.
And yet in the same person is
found the greatest spirit of obedience to the
commands and laws of God that ever was in the
universe; which was manifest in his obedience
here in this world. John 14:31 "As the
Father gave me commandment, even so I do."--
John 15:10. "Even as I have kept my
Father's commandments, and abide in his love."
The greatness of his obedience appears in its
perfection, and in his obeying commands of such
exceeding difficulty. Never any one received
commands from God of such difficulty, and that
were so great a trial of obedience, as Jesus
Christ. One of God's commands to him was, that he
should yield himself to those dreadful sufferings
that he underwent. See John 10:18. "No
man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of
myself." "This commandment
received I of my Father." And Christ was
thoroughly obedient to this command of God. Heb.
5:8. "Though he were a Son, yet he
learned obedience by the things that he suffered."
Philip. 2:8. "He humbled himself, and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross." Never was there such an instance
of obedience in man or angel as this, though he
was at the same time supreme Lord of both angels
and men.
- In the person of Christ are
conjoined absolute sovereignty and perfect
resignation. This is another unparalleled
conjunction.
Christ, as he is
God, is the absolute sovereign of the world, the
sovereign disposer of all events. The decrees of
God are all his sovereign decrees; and the work
of creation, and all God's works of providence,
are his sovereign works. It is he that worketh
all things according to the counsel of his own
will. Col 1:16f. "By him, and through
him, and to him, are all things." John 5:17.
"The Father worketh hitherto, and I work."
Matt. 8:3. "I will, be thou clean."
But yet Christ was the most
wonderful instance of resignation that ever
appeared in the world. He was absolutely and
perfectly resigned when he had a near and
immediate prospect of his terrible sufferings,
and the dreadful cup that he was to drink. The
idea and expectation of this made his soul
exceeding sorrowful even unto death, and put him
into such an agony, that his sweat was as it were
great drops or clots of blood, falling down to
the ground. But in such circumstances he was
wholly resigned to the will of God. Matt 26:39.
"O my Father, if it be possible, let this
cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will,
but as thou wilt". Verse 42. "O
my Father, if this cup may not pass from me,
except I drink it, thy will be done."
- In Christ do meet together self-sufficiency,
and an entire trust and reliance on God, which is
another conjunction peculiar to the person of
Christ.
As he is a divine
person, he is self-sufficient, standing in need
of nothing. All creatures are dependent on him,
but he is dependent on none, but is absolutely
independent. His proceeding from the Father, in
his eternal generation, argues no proper
dependence on the will of the Father; for that
proceeding was natural and necessary, and not
arbitrary.
But yet Christ entirely trusted
in God: -- his enemies say that of him, "He
trusted in God that he would deliver him,"
Matt. 27:43. And the apostle testifies, I Pet. 2:23.
"That he committed himself God."
C) Such diverse excellencies are
expressed in him towards men, that otherwise would have
seemed impossible to be exercised towards the same
object; as particularly these three, justice, mercy, and
truth. The same that are mentioned in Psalm 85:10. "Mercy
and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have
kissed each other."
The strict justice of God, and even his
revenging justice, and that against the sins of men,
never was so gloriously manifested. as in Christ. He
manifested an infinite regard to the attribute of God's
justice, in that, when he had a mind to save sinners, he
was willing to undergo such extreme sufferings, rather
than that their salvation should be to the injury of the
honor of that attribute. And as he is the Judge of the
world, he doth himself exercise strict justice, he will
not clear the guilty, nor at all acquit the wicked in
judgment.
Yet how wonderfully is infinite mercy
towards sinners displayed in him! And what glorious and
ineffable grace and love have been and are exercised by
him, towards sinful men! Though he be the just Judge of a
sinful world, yet he is also the Savior of the world.
Though he be a consuming fire to sin, yet he is the light
and life of sinners. Rom. 3:25f. "Whom God hath
set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his
blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of
sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to
declare, I say, at this time his righteousness, that he
might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth
in Jesus."
So the immutable truth of God, in the
threatenings of his law against the sins of men, was
never so manifested as it is in Jesus Christ, for there
never was any other so great a trial of the
unalterableness of the truth of God in those
threatenings, as when sin came to be imputed to his own
Son. And then in Christ has been seen already an actual
complete accomplishment of those threatenings, which
never has been nor will be seen in any other instance;
because the eternity that will be taken up in fulfilling
those threatenings on others, never will be finished.
Christ manifested an infinite regard to this truth of God
in his sufferings. And, in his judging the world, he
makes the covenant of works, that contains those dreadful
threatenings, his rule of judgement. He will see to it,
that it is not infringed in the least jot or tittle: he
will do nothing contrary to the threatenings of the law,
and their complete fulfilment. And yet in him we have
many great and precious promises, promises of perfect
deliverance from the penalty of the law. And this is the
promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. And
in him are all the promises of God yea, and Amen.
Having thus shown wherein there is an
admirable conjunction of excellencies in Jesus Christ, I
now proceed,
Secondly, To show how this
admirable conjunction of excellencies appears in Christ's
acts, [ namely:]
A) It appears in what Christ did in
taking on him our nature.
In this act, his infinite condescension
wonderfully appeared, That he who was God should become
man; that the word should be made flesh, and should take
on him a nature infinitely below his original nature! And
it appears yet more remarkably in the low circumstances
of his incarnation: he was conceived in the womb of a
poor young woman, whose poverty appeared in this, when
she came to offer sacrifices of her purification, she
brought what was allowed of in the law only in case of
poverty, as Luke 2:24. "According to what Is said
in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle-doves, or two
young pigeons." This was allowed only in case
the person was so poor that she was not able to offer a
lamb. Lev. 12:8.
And though his infinite condescension thus
appeared in the manner of his incarnation, yet his divine
dignity also appeared in it; for though he was conceived
in the womb of a poor virgin, yet he was conceived there
by the power of the Holy Ghost. And his divine dignity
also appeared in the holiness of his conception and birth.
Though he was conceived in the womb of one of the corrupt
race of mankind, yet he was conceived and born without
sin; as the angel said to the blessed Virgin, Luke 1:35.
"The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the
power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, therefore
also that holy thing which shall be born of thee, shall
be called the Son of God."
His infinite condescension marvelously
appeared in the manner of his birth. He was brought forth
in a stable because there was no room for them in the inn.
The inn was taken up by others, that were looked upon as
persons of greater account. The Blessed Virgin, being
poor and despised, was turned or shut out. Though she was
in such necessitous circumstances, yet those that counted
themselves her betters would not give place to her; and
therefore, in the time of her travail, she was forced to
betake herself to a stable; and when the child was born,
it was wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.
There Christ lay a little infant, and there he eminently
appeared as a lamb.
But yet this feeble infant, born thus in a
stable, and laid in a manger, was born to conquer and
triumph over Satan, that roaring lion. He came to subdue
the mighty powers of darkness, and make a show of them
openly, and so to restore peace on earth, and to manifest
God's good-will towards men, and to bring glory to God in
the highest, according as the end of his birth was
declared by the joyful songs of the glorious hosts of
angels appearing to the shepherds at the same time that
the infant lay in the manger; whereby his divine dignity
was manifested.
B) This admirable conjunction of
excellencies appears in the acts and various passages of
Christ's life.
Though Christ dwelt in mean outward
circumstances, whereby his condescension and humility
especially appeared, and his majesty was veiled; yet his
divine divinity and glory did in many of his acts shine
through the veil, and it illustriously appeared, that he
was not only the Son of man, but the great God.
Thus, in the circumstances of his infancy,
his outward meanness appeared; yet there was something
then to show forth his divine dignity, in the wise men's
being stirred up to come from the east to give honor to
him their being led by a miraculous star, and coming and
falling down and worshipping him, and presenting him with
gold, frankincense, and myrrh. His humility and meekness
wonderfully appeared in his subjection to his mother and
reputed father when he was a child. Herein he appeared as
a lamb. But his divine glory broke forth and shone when,
at twelve years old, he disputed with doctors in the
temple. In that he appeared, in some measure, as the Lion
of the tribe of Judah.
And so, after he entered on his public
ministry, his marvellous humility and meekness was
manifested in his choosing to appear in such mean outward
circumstances; and in being contented in them, when he
was so poor that he had not where to lay his head, and
depended on the charity of some of his followers for his
subsistence, as appears by Luke 8. at the beginning. How
meek, condescending, and familiar his treatment of his
disciples; his discourses with them, treating them as a
father his children, yea, as friends and companions. How
patient, bearing such affliction and reproach, and so
many injuries from the scribes and Pharisees, and others.
In these things he appeared as a Lamb.
And yet he at the same time did in many
ways show forth his divine majesty and glory,
particularly in the miracles he wrought, which were
evidently divine works, and manifested omnipotent power,
and so declared him to be the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
His wonderful and miraculous works plainly showed him to
be the God of nature; in that it appeared by them that he
had all nature in his hands, and could lay an arrest upon
it, and stop and change its course as he pleased. In
healing the sick, and opening the eyes of the blind, and
unstopping the ears of the deaf, and healing the lame, he
showed that he was the God that framed the eye, and
created the ear, and was the author of the frame of man's
body. By the dead's rising at his command, it appeared
that he was the author and fountain of life, and that
"God the Lord, to whom belong the issues from
death." By his walking on the sea in a storm,
when the waves were raised, he showed himself to be that
God spoken of in Job 9:8. "That treadeth on the
waves of the sea." By his stilling the storm,
and calming the rage of the sea, by his powerful command,
saying, "Peace, be still," he showed
that he has the command of the universe, and that he is
that God who brings things to pass by the word of his
power, who speaks and it is done, who commands and it
stands fast; Psalm 115:7. "Who stilleth the noise
of the seas, the noise of their waves." And
Psalm 107:29. "That maketh the storm a calm, so
that the waves thereof are still." And Psalm 139:8f.
"O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like
unto thee, or to thy faithfulness round about thee? Thou
rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof
arise, thou stillest them." Christ, by casting
out devils, remarkably appeared as the Lion of the tribe
of Judah, and showed that he was stronger than the
roaring lion, that seizes whom he may devour. He
commanded them to come out, and they were forced to obey.
They were terribly afraid of him; they fall down before
him, and beseech him not so torment them. He forces a
whole legion of them to forsake their hold, by his
powerful word; and they could not so much as enter into
the swine without his leave. He showed the glory of his
omniscience, by telling the thoughts of men; as we have
often an account. Herein he appeared to be that God
spoken of, Amos 4:13. "That declareth unto man
what is his thought." Thus, in the midst of his
meanness and humiliation, his divine glory appeared in
his miracles, John 2:11. "This beginning of
miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested
forth his glory."
And though Christ ordinarily appeared
without outward glory, and in great obscurity, yet at a
certain time he threw off the veil, and appeared in his
divine majesty, so far as it could be outwardly
manifested to men in this frail state, when he was
transfigured in the mount. The apostle Peter, 2 Pet. 1:16,17.
was an "eye-witness of his majesty, when he
received from God the Father honor and glory, when there
came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This
is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; which voice
that came from heaven they heard, when they were with him
in the holy mount."
And at the same time that Christ was wont
to appear in such meekness, condescension, and humility,
in his familiar discourses with his disciples, appearing
therein as the Lamb of God; he was also wont to appear as
The Lion of the tribe of Judah, with divine authority and
majesty, in his so sharply rebuking the scribes and
Pharisees, and other hypocrites.
C) This admirable conjunction of
excellencies remarkably appears in his offering up
himself a sacrifice for sinners in his last sufferings.
As this was the greatest thing in all the
works of redemption, the greatest act of Christ in that
work; so in this act especially does there appear that
admirable conjunction of excellencies that has been
spoken of. Christ never so much appeared as a lamb, as
when he was slain: "He came like a lamb to the
slaughter," Isaiah 53:7. Then he was offered up
to God as a lamb without blemish, and without spot: then
especially did he appear to be the anti-type of the lamb
of the passover: 1 Cor 5:7. "Christ our Passover
sacrificed for us." And yet in that act he did
in an especial manner appear as the Lion of the tribe of
Judah; yea, in this above all other acts, in many
respects, as may appear in the following things.
- Then was Christ in the greatest
degree of his humiliation, and yet by that, above
all other things, his divine glory appears.
Christ's humiliation was great, in being
born in such a low condition, of a poor virgin,
and in a stable. His humiliation was great, in
being subject to Joseph the carpenter, and Mary
his mother, and afterwards living in poverty, so
as not to have where to lay his head; and in
suffering such manifold and bitter reproaches as
he suffered, while he went about preaching and
working miracles. But his humiliation was never
so great as it was, in his last sufferings,
beginning with his agony in the garden, till he
expired on the cross. Never was he subject to
such ignominy as then, never did he suffer so
much pain in his body, or so much sorrow in his
soul; never was he in so great an exercise of his
condescension, humility, meekness, and patience,
as he was in these last sufferings; never was his
divine glory and majesty covered with so thick
and dark a veil; never did he so empty himself
and make himself of no reputation, as at this
time.
And yet, never was his divine
glory so manifested, by any act of his, as in
yielding himself up to these sufferings. When the
fruit of it came to appear, and the mystery and
ends of it to be unfolded in its issue, then did
the glory of it appear, then did it appear as the
most glorious act of Christ that ever he
exercised towards the creature. This act of his
is celebrated by the angels and hosts of heaven
with peculiar praises, as that which is above all
others glorious, as you may see in the context, (Revelation
5:9-12) "And they sang a new song,
saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to
open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain and
hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of
every kindred, and tongue, and people, and
nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and
priests: and we shall reign on the earth. And I
beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels
round about the throne, and the beasts, and the
elders: and the number of them was ten thousand
times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,
saying with a loud voice Worthy is the Lamb that
was slain, to receive power, and riches, and
wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and
blessing."
- He never in any act gave so great a
manifestation of love to God, and yet never so
manifested his love to those that were enemies to
God, as in that act.
Christ
never did any thing whereby his love to the
Father was so eminently manifested, as in his
laying down his life, under such inexpressible
sufferings, in obedience to his command and for
the vindication of the honor of his authority and
majesty; nor did ever any mere creature give such
a testimony of love to God as that was.
And yet this was the greatest
expression of his love to sinful men who were
enemies to God; Rom. 5:10. "When we were
enemies, we were reconciled to God, by the death
of his Son." The greatness of Christ's
love to such, appears in nothing so much as in
its being dying love. That blood of Christ which
fell in great drops to the ground, in his agony,
was shed from love to God's enemies, and his own.
That shame and spitting, that torment of body,
and that exceeding sorrow, even unto death, which
he endured in his soul, was what he underwent
from love to rebels against God to save them from
hell, and to purchase for them eternal glory.
Never did Christ so eminently show his regard to
God's honor, as in offering up himself a victim
to Justice. And yet in this above all, he
manifested his love to them who dishonored God,
so as to bring such guilt on themselves, that
nothing less than his blood could atone for it.
- Christ never so eminently appeared
for divine justice, and yet never suffered so
much from divine Justice, as when he offered up
himself a sacrifice for our sins.
In Christ's great sufferings did his
infinite regard to the honor of God's justice
distinguishingly appear, for it was from regard
to that that he thus humbled himself.
And yet in these sufferings,
Christ was the target of the vindictive
expressions of that very justice of God.
Revenging justice then spent all its force upon
him, on account of our guilt; which made him
sweat blood, and cry out upon the cross, and
probably rent his vitals--broke his heart, the
fountain of blood, or some other blood vessels--and
by the violent fermentation turned his blood to
water. For the blood and water that issued out of
his side, when pierced by the spear, seems to
have been extravasated blood, and so there might
be a kind of literal fulfilment of Psalm 22:14.
"I am poured out like water, and all my
bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax, it
is melted in the midst of my bowels."
And this was the way and means by which Christ
stood up for the honor of God's justice, namely,
by thus suffering its terrible executions. For
when he had undertaken for sinners, and had
substituted himself in their room, divine justice
could have its due honor no other way than by his
suffering its revenges.
In this the diverse excellencies
that met in the person of Christ appeared,
namely, his infinite regard to God's justice, and
such love to those that have exposed themselves
to it, as induced him thus to yield himself a
sacrifice to it.
- Christ's holiness never so
illustriously shone forth as it did in his last
sufferings, and yet he never was to such a degree
treated as guilty.
Christ's
holiness never had such a trial as it had then,
and therefore never had so great a manifestation.
When it was tried in this furnace it came forth
as gold, or as silver purified seven times. His
holiness then above all appeared in his steadfast
pursuit of the honor of God, and in his obedience
to him. For his yielding himself unto death was
transcendently the greatest act of obedience that
ever was paid to God by any one since the
foundation of the world.
And yet then Christ was in the
greatest degree treated as a wicked person would
have been. He was apprehended and bound as a
malefactor. His accusers represented him as a
most wicked wretch. In his sufferings before his
crucifixion, he was treated as if he had been the
worst and vilest of mankind, and then, he was put
to a kind of death, that none but the worst sort
of malefactors were wont to suffer, those that
were most abject in their persons, and guilty of
the blackest crimes. And he suffered as though
guilty from God himself, by reason of our guilt
imputed to him; for he who knew no sin, was made
sin for us; he was made subject to wrath, as if
he had been sinful himself. He was made a curse
for us.
Christ never so greatly manifested
his hatred of sin, as against God, as in his
dying to take away the dishonor that sin had done
to God; and yet never was he to such a degree
subject to the terrible effects of God's hatred
of sin, and wrath against it, as he was then. in
this appears those diverse excellencies meeting
in Christ, namely, love to God, and grace to
sinners.
- He never was so dealt with, as
unworthy, as in his last sufferings, and yet it
is chiefly on account of them that he is
accounted worthy.
He was
therein dealt with as if he had not been worthy
to live: they cry out, "Away with him!
away with him! Crucify him." John 19:15.
And they prefer Barabbas before him. And he
suffered from the Father, as one whose demerits
were infinite, by reason of our demerits that
were laid upon him.
And yet it was especially by that
act of his subjecting himself to those sufferings
that he merited, and on the account of which
chiefly he was accounted worthy of the glory of
his exaltation. Philip. 2:8, 9. "He
humbled himself, and became obedient unto death;
wherefore God hath highly exalted him."
And we see that it is on this account chiefly,
that he is extolled as worthy by saints and
angels in the context: "Worthy,"
say they, "is the Lamb that was slain."
This shows an admirable conjunction in him of
infinite dignity, and infinite condescension and
love to the infinitely unworthy.
- Christ in his last sufferings
suffered most extremely from those towards whom
he was then manifesting his greatest act of love.
He never suffered so much from
his Father, (though not from any hatred to him,
but from hatred to our sins,) for he then forsook
him, or took away the comforts of his presence;
and then "it pleased the Lord to bruise
him, and put him to grief." as Isaiah 53:10.
And yet he never gave so great a manifestation of
love to God as then, as has been already observed.
So Christ never suffered so much
from the hands of men as he did then; and yet
never was in so high an exercise of love to men.
He never was so ill treated by his disciples; who
were so unconcerned about his sufferings, that
they .would not watch with him one hour, in his
agony; and when he was apprehended, all forsook
him and fled, except Peter, who denied him with
oaths and curses. And yet then he was suffering,
shedding his blood, and pouring out his soul unto
death for them. Yea, he probably was then
shedding his blood for some of them that shed his
blood, for whom he prayed while they were
crucifying him; and who were probably afterwards
brought home to Christ by Peter's preaching. (Compare
Luke 23:34. Acts 2:23,36,37,41. and chap. 3:17.
and chap. 4.) This shows an admirable meeting of
justice and grace in the redemption of Christ.
- It was in Christ's last sufferings,
above all, that he was delivered up to the power
of his enemies; and yet by these, above all, he
obtained victory over his enemies.
Christ never was so in his enemies'
hands, as in the time of his last sufferings.
They sought his life before; but from time to
time they were restrained, and Christ escaped out
of their hands, and this reason is given for it,
that his time was not yet come. But now they were
suffered to work their will upon him, he was in a
great degree delivered up to the malice and
cruelty of both wicked men and devils. And
therefore when Christ's enemies came to apprehend
him, he says to them, Luke 22:53. "When I
was daily with you in the temple ye stretched
forth no hand against me: but this is your hour,
and the power of darkness."
And yet it was principally by
means of those sufferings that he conquered and
overthrew his enemies. Christ never so
effectually bruised Satan's head, as when Satan
bruised his heel. The weapon with which Christ
warred against the devil, and obtained a most
complete victory and glorious triumph over him,
was the cross, the instrument and weapon with
which he thought he had overthrown Christ, and
brought on him shameful destruction. Col. 2:14,15.
"Blotting out the handwriting of
ordinances,--nailing it to his cross: and having
spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show
of them openly, triumphing over them in it."
In his last sufferings, Christ sapped the very
foundations of Satan's kingdom, he conquered his
enemies in their own territories, and beat them
with their own weapons as David cut off Goliath's
head with his own sword. The devil had, as it
were, swallowed up Christ, as the whale did Jonah--
but it was deadly poison to him, he gave him a
mortal wound in his own bowels. He was soon sick
of his morsel, and was forced to do by him as the
whale did by Jonah. To this day he is heart-sick
of what he then swallowed as his prey. In those
sufferings of Christ was laid the foundation of
all that glorious victory he has already obtained
over Satan, in the overthrow of his heathenish
kingdom in the Roman empire, and all the success
the gospel has had since; and also of all his
future and still more glorious victory that is to
be obtained in the earth. Thus Samson's riddle is
most eminently fulfilled, Judges 14:14. "Out
of the eater came forth meat, and out of the
strong came forth sweetness." And thus
the true Samson does more towards the destruction
of his enemies at his death than in his life, in
yielding up himself to death, he pulls down the
temple of Dagon, and destroys many thousands of
his enemies, even while they are making
themselves sport in his sufferings--and so he
whose type was the ark, pulls down Dagon, and
breaks off his head and hands in his own temple,
even while he is brought in there as Dagon's
captive. (1 Samuel 5:1-4)
Thus Christ appeared at the same
time, and in the same act, as both a lion and a
lamb. He appeared as a lamb in the hands of his
cruel enemies; as a lamb in the paws, and between
the devouring jaws, of a roaring lion; yea, he
was a lamb actually slain by this lion: and yet
at the same time, as the Lion of the tribe of
Judah, he conquers and triumphs over Satan;
destroying his own destroyer; as Samson did the
lion that roared upon him, when he rent him as he
would a kid. And in nothing has Christ appeared
so much as a lion, in glorious strength
destroying his enemies, as when he was brought as
a lamb to the slaughter. In his greatest weakness
he was most strong; and when he suffered most
from his enemies, he brought the greatest
confusion on his enemies.
Thus this admirable conjunction of
diverse excellencies was manifest in Christ, in
his offering up himself to God in his last
sufferings.
D) It is still manifest in
his acts, in his present state of exaltation in
heaven. Indeed, in his exalted state, he most
eminently appears in manifestation of those
excellencies, on the account of which he is
compared to a lion; but still he appears as a
lamb; Rev. 14:1. "And I looked, and lo, a
Lamb stood on mount Sion"; as in his
state of humiliation he chiefly appeared as a
lamb, and yet did not appear without
manifestation of his divine majesty and power, as
the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Though Christ be
now at the right-hand of God, exalted as King of
heaven, and Lord of the universe; yet as he still
is in the human nature, he still excels in
humility. Though the man Christ Jesus be the
highest of all creatures in heaven, yet he as
much excels them all in humility as he doth in
glory and dignity, for none sees so much of the
distance between God and him as he does. And
though he now appears in such glorious majesty
and dominion in heaven, yet he appears as a lamb
in his condescending, mild, and sweet treatment
of his saints there, for he is a Lamb still, even
amidst the throne of his exaltation, and he that
is the Shepherd of the whole flock is himself a
Lamb, and goes before them in heaven as such. Rev.
7:17. "For the Lamb, which is in the
midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall
lead them unto living fountains of waters, and
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."
Though in heaven every knee bows to him, and
though the angels fall down before him adoring
him, yet he treats his saints with infinite
condescension, mildness, and endearment. And in
his acts towards the saints on earth, he still
appears as a lamb, manifesting exceeding love and
tenderness in his intercession for them, as one
that has had experience of affliction and
temptation. He has not forgot what these things
are, nor has he forgot how to pity those that are
subject to them. And he still manifests his lamb-like
excellencies, in his dealings with his saints on
earth, in admirable forbearance, love,
gentleness, and compassion. Behold him
instructing, supplying, supporting, and
comforting them; often coming to them, and
manifesting himself to them by his Spirit, that
he may sup with them, and they with him. Behold
him admitting them to sweet communion, enabling
them with boldness and confidence to come to him,
and solacing their hearts. And in heaven Christ
still appears, as it were, with the marks of his
wounds upon him, and so appears as a Lamb as it
had been slain, as he was represented in vision
to St John, in the text, when he appeared to open
the book sealed with seven seals, which is part
of the glory of his exaltation.
E) And lastly, this
admirable conjunction of excellencies will be
manifest in Christ's acts at the last judgement.
He then, above all other times,
will appear as the Lion of the tribe of Judah in
infinite greatness and majesty, when he shall
come in the glory of his Father, with all the
holy angels, and the earth shall tremble before
him, and the hills shall melt. This is he (Rev.
20:11.) "that shall sit on a great white
throne, before whose face the earth and heaven
shall flee away." He will then appear in
the most dreadful and amazing manner to the
wicked. The devils tremble at the thought of that
appearance, and when it shall be, the kings, and
the great men, and the rich men, and the chief
captains. and the mighty men, and every bond-man
and every free-man, shall hide themselves in the
dens, and in the rocks of the mountains, and
shall cry to the mountains and rocks to fall on
them, to hide them from the face and wrath of the
Lamb. And none can declare or conceive of the
amazing manifestations of wrath in which he will
then appear towards these, or the trembling and
astonishment the shrieking and gnashing of teeth,
with which they shall stand before his judgment-seat,
and receive the terrible sentence of his wrath.
And yet he will at the same time
appear as a Lamb to his saints; he will receive
them as friends and brethren, treating them with
infinite mildness and love. There shall be
nothing in him terrible to them, but towards them
he will clothe himself wholly with sweetness and
endearment. The church shall be then admitted to
him as his bride; that shall be her wedding-day.
The saints shall all be sweetly invited to come
with him to inherit the kingdom, and reign in it
with him to all eternity.
[I would now show how the
aforesaid teaching is of benefit to us, in that
A) From this doctrine we
may learn one reason why Christ is called by such
a variety of names, and held forth under such a
variety of representations, in Scripture. It is
the better to signify and exhibit to us that
variety of excellencies that meet together and
are conjoined in him. Many appellations are
mentioned together in one verse Isaiah 9:6.
"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a
Son is given, and the government shall be upon
his shoulder: and his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the
everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace."
It shows a wonderful conjunction of excellencies,
that the same person should be a Son, born and
given, and yet be the everlasting Father, without
beginning or end, that he should be a Child, and
yet be he whose name is Counsellor, and the
mighty God; and well may his name, in whom such
things are conjoined, be called wonderful.
By reason of the same wonderful
conjunction, Christ is represented by a great
variety of sensible things, that are on some
account excellent. Thus in some places he is
called a Sun, as Mal. 4:2, in others a Star, Numb.
24:17. And he is especially represented by the
Morning star, as being that which excels all
other stars in brightness, and is the forerunner
of the day, Rev. 22:16. And, as in our text, he
is compared to a lion in one verse, and a lamb in
the next, so sometimes he is compared to a roe or
young hart, another creature most diverse from a
lion. So in some places he is called a rock, in
others he is compared to a pearl. In some places
he is called a man of war, and the Captain of our
Salvation, in other places he is represented as a
bridegroom. In the second chapter of Canticles,
the first verse, he is compared to a rose and a
lily, that are sweet and beautiful flowers; in
the next verse but one, he is compared to a tree
bearing sweet fruit. In Isaiah 53:2 he is called
a Root out of a dry ground; but elsewhere,
instead of that, he is called the Tree of Life,
that grows (not in a dry or barren ground, but)
"in the midst of the paradise of God."
Rev. 2:7.
B) Let the consideration of this wonderful
meeting of diverse excellencies in Christ induce
you to accept of him, and close with him as your
Savior. As all manner of excellencies meet in
him, so there are concurring in him all manner of
arguments and motives, to move you to choose him
for your Savior, and every thing that tends to
encourage poor sinners to come and put their
trust in him: his fullness and all-sufficiency as
a Savior gloriously appear in that variety of
excellencies that has been spoken of.
Fallen man is in a state of
exceeding great misery, and is helpless in it; he
is a poor weak creature, like an infant cast out
in its blood in the day that it is born. But
Christ is the lion of the tribe of Judah; he is
strong, though we are weak; he hath prevailed to
do that for us which no creature else could do.
Fallen man is a mean despicable creature, a
contemptible worm; but Christ, who has undertaken
for us, is infinitely honorable and worthy.
Fallen man is polluted, but Christ is infinitely
holy; fallen man is hateful, but Christ is
infinitely lovely; fallen man is the object of
God's indignation, but Christ is infinitely dear
to him. We have dreadfully provoked God, but
Christ has performed that righteousness which is
infinitely precious in God's eyes.
And here is not only infinite
strength and infinite worthiness, but infinite
condescension, and love and mercy, as great as
power and dignity. If you are a poor, distressed
sinner, whose heart is ready to sink for fear
that God never will have mercy on you, you need
not be afraid to go to Christ, for fear that he
is either unable or unwilling to help you. Here
is a strong foundation, and an inexhaustible
treasure, to answer the necessities of your poor
soul, and here is infinite grace and gentleness
to invite and embolden a poor, unworthy, fearful
soul to come to it. If Christ accepts of you, you
need not fear but that you will be safe, for he
is a strong Lion for your defense. And if you
come, you need not fear but that you shall be
accepted; for he is like a Lamb to all that come
to him, and receives then with infinite grace and
tenderness. It is true he has awful majesty, he
is the great God, and infinitely high above you;
but there is this to encourage and embolden the
poor sinner, that Christ is man as well as God;
he is a creature, as well as the Creator, and he
is the most humble and lowly in heart of any
creature in heaven or earth. This may well make
the poor unworthy creature bold in coming to him.
You need not hesitate one moment; but may run to
him, and cast yourself upon him. You will
certainly be graciously and meekly received by
him. Though he is a lion, he will only be a lion
to your enemies, but he will be a lamb to you. It
could not have been conceived, had it not been so
in the person of Christ, that there could have
been so much in any Savior, that is inviting and
tending to encourage sinners to trust in him.
Whatever your circumstances are, you need not be
afraid to come to such a Savior as this. Be you
never so wicked a creature, here is worthiness
enough; be you never so poor, and mean, and
ignorant a creature, there is no danger of being
despised, for though he be so much greater than
you, he is also immensely more humble than you.
Any one of you that is a father or mother, will
not despise one of your own children that comes
to you in distress: much less danger is there of
Christ's despising you, if you in your heart come
to him.
Here let me a little expostulate with the poor,
burdened, distressed soul.
- What are you afraid of, that
you dare not venture your soul upon
Christ? Are you afraid that he cannot
save you, that he is not strong enough to
conquer the enemies of your soul? But how
can you desire one stronger than "the
almighty God"? as Christ is
called, Isa. 9:6. Is there need of
greater than infinite strength? Are you
afraid that he will not be willing to
stoop so low as to take any gracious
notice of you? But then, look on him, as
he stood in the ring of soldiers,
exposing his blessed face to be buffeted
and spit upon by them! Behold him bound
with his back uncovered to those that
smote him! And behold him hanging on the
cross! Do you think that he that had
condescension enough to stoop to these
things, and that for his crucifiers, will
be unwilling to accept of you, if you
come to him? Or, are you afraid that if
he does accept you, that God the Father
will not accept of him for you? But
consider, will God reject his own Son, in
whom his infinite delight is, and has
been, from all eternity, and who is so
united to him, that if he should reject
him he would reject himself?
- What is there that you can
desire should be in a Savior, that is not
in Christ? Or, wherein should you desire
a Savior should be otherwise than Christ
is? What excellency is there wanting?
What is there that is great or good; what
is there that is venerable or winning;
what is there that is adorable or
endearing; or, what can you think of that
would be encouraging, which is not to be
found in the person of Christ? Would you
have your Savior to be great and
honorable, because you are not willing to
be beholden to a mean person? And, is not
Christ a person honorable enough to be
worthy that you should be dependent on
him? Is he not a person high enough to be
appointed to so honorable a work as your
salvation? Would you not only have a
Savior of high degree, but would you have
him, notwithstanding his exaltation and
dignity, to be made also of low degree,
that he might have experience of
afflictions and trials, that he might
learn by the things that he has suffered,
to pity them that suffer and are tempted?
And has not Christ been made low enough
for you? and has he not suffered enough?
Would you not only have him possess
experience of the afflictions you now
suffer, but also of that amazing wrath
that you fear hereafter, that he may know
how to pity those that are in danger, and
afraid of it? This Christ has had
experience of, which experience gave him
a greater sense of it, a thousand times,
than you have, or any man living has.
Would you have your Savior to be one who
is near to God, that so his mediation
might be prevalent with him? And can you
desire him to be nearer to God than
Christ is, who is his only-begotten Son,
of the same essence with the Father? And
would you not only have him near to God,
but also near to you, that you may have
free access to him? And would you have
him nearer to you than to be in the same
nature, united to you by a spiritual
union, so close as to be fitly
represented by the union of the wife to
the husband, of the branch to the vine,
of the member to the head; yea, so as to
be one spirit? For so he will be united
to you, if you accept of him. Would you
have a Savior that has given some great
and extraordinary testimony of mercy and
love to sinners, by something that he has
done, as well as by what he says? And can
you think or conceive of greater things
than Christ has done? Was it not a great
thing for him, who was God, to take upon
him human nature: to be not only God, but
man thenceforward to all eternity? But
would you look upon suffering for sinners
to be a yet greater testimony of love to
sinners, than merely doing, though it be
ever so extraordinary a thing that he has
done? And would you desire that a Savior
should suffer more than Christ has
suffered for sinners? What is there
wanting, or what would you add if you
could, to make him more fit to be your
Savior?
But further, to induce you to accept of Christ as
your Savior, consider two things particularly.
- How much Christ appears as
the Lamb of God in his invitations to you
to come to him and trust in him. With
what sweet grace and kindness does he,
from time to time, call and invite you,
as Prov. 8:4. "Unto you, O men, I
call, and my voice is to the sons of men."
And Isaiah 55:1-3 "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."
How gracious is he here in inviting every
one that thirsts, and in so repeating his
invitation over and over, "Come
ye to the waters, come, buy and eat - -
yea come!" Mark the excellency
of that entertainment which he invites
you to accept of; "Come, buy wine
and milk!" your poverty, having
nothing to pay for it, shall be no
objection, "Come, he that hath no
money, come without money, and without
price!" What gracious arguments
and expostulations he uses with you!
"Wherefore do ye spend money for
that which is not bread? and your labor
for that which satisfieth not? Hearken
diligently unto me, and eat ye that which
is good, and let your soul delight itself
in fatness." As much as to say,
It is altogether needless for you to
continue laboring and toiling for that
which can never serve your turn, seeking
rest in the world, and in your own
righteousness -- I have made abundant
provision for you, of that which is
really good, and will fully satisfy your
desires, and answer your end, and I stand
ready to accept of you: you need not be
afraid; If you will come to me, I will
engage to see all your wants supplied,
and you made a happy creature. As he
promises in the third verse, "Incline
your ear, and come unto me: Hear, and
your soul shall live, and I will make an
everlasting covenant with you, even the
sure mercies of David." And so
Prov. 9 at the beginning. How gracious
and sweet is the invitation there! "Whoso
is simple, let him turn in hither;"
let you be never so poor, ignorant, and
blind a creature, you shall be welcome.
And in the following words Christ sets
forth the provision that he has made for
you, "Come, eat of my bread, and
drink of the wine which I have mingled."
You are in a poor famishing state, and
have nothing wherewith to feed your
perishing soul; you have been seeking
something, but yet remain destitute.
Hearken, how Christ calls you to eat of
his bread, and to drink of the wine that
he hath mingled! And how much like a lamb
does Christ appear in Matt. 9:28 30.
"Come unto me, all ye that labor
and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of
me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and
ye shall find rest to your souls. For my
yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
O thou poor distressed soul! whoever thou
art, consider that Christ mentions thy
very case when he calls to them who labor
and are heavy laden! How he repeatedly
promises you rest if you come to him! In
the 28th verse he says, "I will
give you rest." And in the 29th
verse, "Ye shall find rest to
your souls." This is what you
want. This is the thing you have been so
long in vain seeking after. O how sweet
would rest be to you, if you could but
obtain it! Come to Christ, and you shall
obtain it. And hear how Christ, to
encourage you, represents himself as a
lamb! He tells you, that he is meek and
lowly in heart, and are you afraid to
come to such a one! And again, Rev. 3:20.
"Behold, I stand at the door and
knock: if any man hear my voice, and open
the door, I will come in to him, and I
will sup with him and he with me."
Christ condescends not only to call you
to him, but he comes to you; he comes to
your door, and there knocks. He might
send an officer and seize you as a rebel
and vile malefactor, but instead of that,
he comes and knocks at your door, and
seeks that you would receive him into
your house, as your Friend and Savior.
And he not only knocks at your door, but
he stands there waiting, while you are
backward and unwilling. And not only so,
but he makes promises what he will do for
you, if you will admit him, what
privileges he will admit you to; he will
sup with you, and you with him. And
again, Rev. 22:16,17. "I am the
root and the offspring of David, and the
bright and morning star. And the Spirit
and the bride say, Come. And let him that
heareth, say, Come. And let him that is
athirst come. And whosoever will let him
take of the water of life freely."
How does Christ here graciously set
before you his own winning attractive
excellency! And how does he condescend to
declare to you not only his own
invitation, but the invitation of the
Spirit and the bride, if by any means he
might encourage you to come! And how does
he invite every one that will, that they
may "take of the water of life
freely," that they may take it
as a free gift, however precious it be,
and though it be the Water of life.
- If you do come to Christ, he
will appear as a Lion, in his glorious
power and dominion, to defend you. All
those excellencies of his, in which he
appears as a lion, shall be yours, and
shall be employed for you in your
defense, for your safety, and to promote
your glory, he will be as a lion to fight
against your enemies. He that touches
you, or offends you, will provoke his
wrath, as he that stirs up a lion. Unless
your enemies can conquer this Lion, they
shall not be able to destroy or hurt you;
unless they are stronger than he, they
shall not be able to hinder your
happiness. Isaiah 31:4. "For thus
hath the Lord spoken unto me, Like as the
lion and the young lion roaring on his
prey, when a multitude of shepherds is
called forth against him, he will not be
afraid of their voice, nor abase himself
for the noise of them; so shall the Lord
of hosts come down to fight for mount
Zion, and for the hill thereof."
C) Let what has been said
be improved to induce you to love the Lord Jesus
Christ, and choose him for your friend and
portion. As there is such an admirable meeting of
diverse excellencies in Christ, so there is every
thing in him to render him worthy of your love
and choice, and to win and engage it. Whatsoever
there is or can be desirable in a friend, is in
Christ, and that to the highest degree that can
be desired.
Would you choose for a friend a
person of great dignity? It is a thing taking
with men to have those for their friends who are
much above them; because they look upon
themselves honored by the friendship of such.
Thus, how taking would it be with an inferior
maid to be the object of the dear love of some
great and excellent prince. But Christ is
infinitely above you, and above all the princes
of the earth; for he is the King of kings. So
honorable a person as this offers himself to you,
in the nearest and dearest friendship.
And would you choose to have a
friend not only great but good? In Christ
infinite greatness and infinite goodness meet
together, and receive lustre and glory one from
another. His greatness is rendered lovely by his
goodness. The greater any one is without
goodness, so much the greater evil; but when
infinite goodness is joined with greatness, it
renders it a glorious and adorable greatness. So,
on the other hand, his infinite goodness receives
lustre from his greatness. He that is of great
understanding and ability, and is withal of a
good and excellent disposition, is deservedly
more esteemed than a lower and lesser being with
the same kind inclination and good will. Indeed
goodness is excellent in whatever subject it be
found; it is beauty and excellency itself, and
renders all excellent that are possessed of it;
and yet most excellent when joined with greatness.
The very same excellent qualities of gold render
the body in which they are inherent more
precious, and of greater value, when joined with
greater than when with lesser dimensions. And how
glorious is the sight, to see him who is the
great Creator and supreme Lord of heaven and
earth, full of condescension, tender pity and
mercy, towards the mean and unworthy! His
almighty power, and infinite majesty and self-sufficiency,
render his exceeding love and grace the more
surprising And how do his condescension and
compassion endear his majesty, power, and
dominion, and render those attributes pleasant,
that would otherwise be only terrible! Would you
not desire that your friend, though great and
honorable, should be of such condescension and
grace, and so to have the way opened to free
access to him, that his exaltation above you
might not hinder your free enjoyment of his
friendship? -- And would you choose not only that
the infinite greatness and majesty of your friend
should be, as it were, mollified and sweetened
with condescension and grace; but would you also
desire to have your friend brought nearer to you?
Would you choose a friend far above you, and yet
as it were upon a level with you too? Though it
be taking with men to have a near and dear friend
of superior dignity, yet there is also an
inclination in them to have their friend a sharer
with them in circumstances. Thus is Christ.
Though he be the great God, yet he has, as it
were, brought himself down to be upon a level
with you, so as to become man as you are that he
might not only be your Lord, but your brother,
and that he might be the more fit to be a
companion for such a worm of the dust. This is
one end of Christ's taking upon him man's nature,
that his people might be under advantages for a
more familiar converse with him than the infinite
distance of the divine nature would allow of. And
upon this account the church longed for Christ's
incarnation, Cant. 8:1. "O that thou wert
my brother that sucked the breast of my mother!
when I should find thee without, I would kiss
thee, yea, I should not be despised."
One design of God in the gospel is to bring us to
make God the object of our undivided respect,
that he may engross our regard every way, that
whatever natural inclination there is in our
souls, he may be the centre of it; that God may
be all in all. But there is an inclination in the
creature, not only to the adoration of a Lord and
Sovereign, but to complacence in some one as a
friend, to love and delight in some one that may
be conversed with as a companion. And virtue and
holiness do not destroy or weaken this
inclination of our nature. But so hath God
contrived in the affair of our redemption, that a
divine person may be the object even of this
inclination of our nature. And in order hereto,
such a one is come down to us, and has taken our
nature, and is become one of us, and calls
himself our friend, brother, and companion. Psalm
122:8. "For my brethren and companions'
sake, will I now say, Peace be within thee."
But is it not enough in order to
invite and encourage you to free access to a
friend so great and high, that he is one of
infinite condescending grace, and also has taken
your own nature, and is become man? But would
you, further to embolden and win you, have him a
man of wonderful meekness and humility? Why, such
a one is Christ! He is not only become man for
you, but far the meekest and most humble of all
men, the greatest instance of these sweet virtues
that ever was, or will be. And besides these, he
has all other human excellencies in the highest
perfection. These, indeed, are no proper addition
to his divine excellencies. Christ has no more
excellency in his person, since his incarnation,
than he had before; for divine excellency is
infinite, and cannot be added to. Yet his human
excellencies are additional manifestations of his
glory and excellency to us, and are additional
recommendations of him to our esteem and love,
who are of finite comprehension. Though his human
excellencies are but communications and
reflections of his divine, and though this light,
as reflected, falls infinitely short of the
divine fountain of light in its immediate glory;
yet the reflection shines not without its proper
advantages, as presented to our view and
affection. The glory of Christ in the
qualifications of his human nature, appears to us
in excellencies that are of our own kind, and are
exercised in our own way and manner, and so, in
some respect, are peculiarly fitted to invite our
acquaintance and draw our affection. The glory of
Christ as it appears in his divinity, though far
brighter, more dazzles our eyes, and exceeds the
strength of our sight or our comprehension; but,
as it shines in the human excellencies of Christ,
it is brought more to a level with our
conceptions, and suitableness to our nature and
manner, yet retaining a semblance of the same
divine beauty, and a savor of the same divine
sweetness. But as both divine and human
excellencies meet together in Christ, they set
off and recommend each other to us. It tends to
endear the divine majesty and holiness of Christ
to us, that these are attributes of one in our
nature, one of us, who is become our brother, and
is the meekest and humblest of men. It encourages
us to look upon these divine perfections, however
high and great; since we have some near concern
in and liberty freely to enjoy them. And on the
other hand, how much more glorious and surprising
do the meekness, the humility, obedience,
resignation, and other human excellencies of
Christ appear, when we consider that they are in
so great a person, as the eternal Son of God, the
Lord of heaven and earth!
By your choosing Christ for your
friend and portion, you will obtain these two
infinite benefits.
- Christ will give himself to
you, with all those various excellencies
that meet in him, to your full and
everlasting enjoyment. He will ever after
treat you as his dear friend; and you
shall ere long be where he is, and shall
behold his glory, and dwell with him, in
most free and intimate communion and
enjoyment.
When the
saints get to heaven, they shall not
merely see Christ, and have to do with
him as subjects and servants with a
glorious and gracious Lord and Sovereign,
but Christ will entertain them as friends
and brethren. This we may learn from the
manner of Christ's conversing with his
disciples here on earth: though he was
their Sovereign Lord, and did not refuse,
but required, their supreme respect and
adoration, yet he did not treat them as
earthly sovereigns are wont to do their
subjects. He did not keep them at an
aweful distance, but all along conversed
with them with the most friendly
familiarity, as a father amongst a
company of children, yea, as with
brethren. So he did with the twelve, and
so he did with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus.
He told his disciples, that he did not
call them servants, but friends, and we
read of one of them that leaned on his
bosom: and doubtless he will not treat
his disciples with less freedom and
endearment in heaven. He will not keep
them at a greater distance for his being
in a state of exaltation; but he will
rather take them into a state of
exaltation with him. This will be the
improvement Christ will make of his own
glory, to make his beloved friends
partakers with him, to glorify them in
his glory, as he says to his Father, John
17:22, 23. "And the glory which
thou hast given me, have I given them,
that they may be one, even as we are one
I in them" etc. We are to
consider, that though Christ is greatly
exalted, yet he is exalted, not as a
private person for himself only, but as
his people's head; he is exalted in their
name, and upon their account, as the
first fruits, and as representing the
whole harvest. He is not exalted that he
may be at a greater distance from them,
but that they may be exalted with him.
The exaltation and honor of the head is
not to make a greater distance between
the head and the members, but the members
have the same relation and union with the
head they had before, and are honored
with the head; and instead of the
distance being greater, the union shall
be nearer and more perfect. When
believers get to heaven, Christ will
conform them to himself, as he is set
down in his Father's throne, so they
shall sit down with him on his throne,
and shall in their measure be made like
him.
When Christ was going to
heaven, he comforted his disciples with
the thought, that after a while, he would
come again and take them to himself, that
they might be with him. And we are not to
suppose that when the disciples got to
heaven, they found him keeping a greater
distance than he used to do. No,
doubtless, be embraced them as friends,
and welcomed them to his and their
Father's house, and to his and their
glory. They who had been his friends in
this world, who had been together with
him here, and had together partaken of
sorrows and troubles, are now welcomed by
him to rest, and to partake of glory with
him. He took them and led them into his
chambers, and showed them all his glory;
as he prayed, John 17:24. "Father,
I will that they also whom thou hast
given me, be with me, that they may
behold the glory which thou hast given me."
And he led them to his living fountains
of waters, and made them partake of his
delights, as he prays John 17:13. "That
my joy may be fulfilled in themselves,"
and set them down with him at his table
in his kingdom, and made them partake
with him of his dainties, according to
his promise, Luke 22:30, and led them
into his banqueting house, and made them
to drink new wine with him in the kingdom
of his heavenly Father, as he foretold
them when he instituted the Lord's
supper, Matt. 26:29.
Yea the saints'
conversation with Christ in heaven shall
not only be as intimate, and their access
to him as free, as of the disciples on
earth, but in many respects much more so;
for in heaven, that vital union shall be
perfect, which is exceeding imperfect
here. While the saints are in this world,
there are great remains of sin and
darkness to separate or disunite them
from Christ, which shall then all be
removed. This is not a time for that full
acquaintance, and those glorious
manifestations of love, which Christ
designs for his people hereafter; which
seems to be signified by his speech to
Mary Magdalene, when ready to embrace
him, when she met him after his
resurrection; John 20:17. "Jesus
saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am
not yet ascended to my Father."
When the saints shall see
Christ's glory and exaltation in heaven,
it will indeed possess their hearts with
the greater admiration and adoring
respect, but it will not awe them into
any separation, but will serve only to
heighten their surprise and joy, when
they find Christ condescending to admit
them to such intimate access, and so
freely and fully communicating himself to
them. So that if we choose Christ for our
friend and portion, we shall hereafter be
so received to him, that there shall be
nothing to hinder the fullest enjoyment
of him, to the satisfying the utmost
cravings of our souls. We may take our
full swing at gratifying our spiritual
appetite after these holy pleasures.
Christ will then say, as in Cant. 5:1.
"Eat, O friends, drink, yea,
drink abundantly O beloved." And
this shall be our entertainment to all
eternity! There shall never be any end of
this happiness, or any thing to interrupt
our enjoyment of it, or in the least to
molest us in it!
- By your being united to
Christ, you will have a more glorious
union with and enjoyment of God the
Father, than otherwise could be. For
hereby the saints' relation to God
becomes much nearer; they are the
children of God in a higher manner than
otherwise could be. For, being members of
God's own Son, they are in a sort
partakers of his relation to the Father:
they are not only sons of God by
regeneration, but by a kind of communion
in the sonship of the eternal Son. This
seems to be intended, Gal. 4:4-6. "God
sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made
under the law, to redeem them that are
under the law, that we might receive the
adoption of sons. And because ye are
sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of
his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba,
Father." The church is the
daughter of God not only as he hath
begotten her by his word and Spirit but
as she is the spouse of his eternal Son.
So we being members of the Son,
are partakers in our measure of the
Father's love to the Son, and complacence
in him. John 17:23. "I in them,
and thou in me, -- Thou hast loved them
as thou hast loved me." And ver.
26. "That the love wherewith thou
hast loved me may be in them."
And chap. 16:27. "The Father
himself loveth you, because ye have loved
me, and have believed that I came out
from God." So we shall,
according to our capacities, be partakers
of the Son's enjoyment of God, and have
his joy fulfilled in ourselves, John 17:13.
And by this means we shall come to an
immensely higher, more intimate and full
enjoyment of God, than otherwise could
have been. For there is doubtless an
infinite intimacy between the Father and
the Son which is expressed by his being
in the bosom of the Father. And saints
being in him, shall, in their measure and
manner, partake with him in it, and of
the blessedness of it.
And thus is the affair of
our redemption ordered, that thereby we
are brought to an immensely more exalted
kind of union with God, and enjoyment of
him, both the Father and the Son, than
otherwise could have been. For Christ
being united to the human nature, we have
advantage for a more free and full
enjoyment of him, than we could have had
if he had remained only in the divine
nature. So again, we being united to a
divine person, as his members, can have a
more intimate union and intercourse with
God the Father, who is only in the divine
nature, than otherwise could be. Christ,
who is a divine person, by taking on him
our nature, descends from the infinite
distance and height above us, and is
brought nigh to us; whereby we have
advantage for the full enjoyment of him.
And, on the other hand, we, by being in
Christ a divine person, do as it were
ascend up to God, through the infinite
distance, and have hereby advantage for
the full enjoyment of him also.
This was the design of Christ,
that he, and his Father, and his people, might
all be united in one. John 17:21 23. "That
they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me,
and I in thee -- that they also may be one in us;
that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
And the glory which thou hast given me, I have
given them, that they may be one, even as we are
one; I in them and thou in me, that they may be
made perfect in one." Christ has brought
it to pass, that those whom the Father has given
him should be brought into the household of God,
that he and his Father, and his people, should be
as one society, one family; that the church
should be as it were admitted into the society of
the blessed Trinity.