Lesson That such and so great is the indispensable need that we have of the Lord Jesus Christ that without him we are undone for ever In the 53d verse of this exeellent Chapter Verily verily I say unto you except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood you have no life in you He speaks there of eating of his flesh and drinking his blood in a spiritual manner You know there are many desires of the Soul that may be dispenced with but hunger is a desire that must be satisfied unless you have bread for your sustenance the body dies so unless you have Jesus Christ for your spiritual sustenance your Souls die and drop down into Hell for ever for look as the union of the Body with the Soul is the life of the Body so the union of the Soul with Jesus Christ is the life of the Soul O hearken to this thou that art yet in a natural and unregenerate estate uncalled unconverted that never was yet transplanted from off the old rotten stock of Adam and replanted into the true Vine the Lord Jesus Christ if thou livest in this estate and diest in this estate thou art undone for ever the poorest worm that crawls upon the ground is in a better condition than thou art in Acts 26.27 Believest thou the Prophets said St. Paul to King Agrippa I know that thou believest Believest thou this Doctrine say I to thee that art yet uncalled unconverted I know thou believest it not for if thou didst believe it thou couldest not rest contented in a Christless condition for one week no not for one day but wouldest by prayers and tears and supplications cry out Lord Jesus give me thy self whatever thou denyest me give me thy self though I be as poor as Job upon the Dunghil But we cannot perswade men that the danger of a natural estate and condition is so great as indeed it is but the Lord convince you and perswade you of it A second Doctrinal Inference that may be hence deduced is this If Jesus Christ be the living bread then it follows the vanity and emptiness and insufficiency of all Creature-accommodations is exceeding great name what you will of these outward accommodations that the World do so greedily gape after whether Riches or Honours or Pleasures or goodly brave Buildings this and that alas we may say of them they are not bread Isa 55.2 Wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread Your money that is your precious opportunities your time that is your money to make your Markets for Eternity with for Moments are the Markets for Eternity Wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Alas alas these outward things they are neither satisfactory nor permanent they are not satisfactory for Solomon tells us that He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with encrease Eccles 5.10 As soom may you hope to fill a Chest with Wisdom and Knowledg as to fill a Soul which is a spiritual substance with temporal things And as these outward things are are satisfactory so neither are they permanent or lasting 1 Cor. 6.13 Meats for the belly and the belly for meats but God shall deslroy both it and them Look as the belly devours the meat so the worms at last shall devour the belly and so both meat and belly perish together But if you can but once get this spiritual bread the Lord Christ you shall never perish Alas alas consider your own folly and brutishness in seeking for satisfaction here below where none is to be found your bread without Christ is but gravel in your throats your moral Vertues without Christ are but glittering sins your bodies without Christ are but dust and ashes dust that will drop down into the Grave and ashes that are fitted for the Furnace of Hell-fire your Souls without Christ are but the Devils Palace your lives without Christ is but the service of sin and your deaths without Christ will be nothing else but the wages of sin Oh who would rest then in a Christless condition Who would sit down contented with these poor transitory shadowy comforts A third Lesson we may learn by way of Inference is this If Jesus Christ be the living bread then our main end and errand in coming to the Lords Table is not to feed the Body but to feed the Soul 1 Cor. 11.21 What have you not Houses to eat and to drink in saith the Apostle So that it is not the end of your coming to the Lords Table therefore you eat but a little piece of Bread and drink but a little draught of Wine to put you in mind that it is not the Body that you come to feed but you come to feed the Soul and therefore you should labour to get a preparation suitable to that spiritual bread that you are to taste of But what is that you will say I answer There should be something done before your coming and something done in the Administration of the Elements and something done after the receiving of the Elements First There should be something done before you come Oh beg a blessing upon your spiritual bread Man lives not by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Matth. 4.4 I may apply it thus Your Souls will not live by this Sacramental Bread but by the Word of Gods blessing If God will bless this spiritual food to you your Souls shall live On therefore beg the Blessing of God upon this Heavenly Bread Secondly And then there is something to be done while you are eating this Bread you should get your hearts all on fire with love to this blessed Redeemer that was contented to be made bread to be prepared food as I told you even now to be threshed and winnowed and ground and bak'd and scorch'd in the Oven of his Fathers Wrath Oh how should your hearts be all on a flame with Love as the two Disciples were going to Emaus As Jesus Christ brake bread and gave it to them and opened to them the Scriptures their hearts did burn within them Luke 24.32 they were as it were all on a fire So should it be with you when you come to the Lords Table you should have your meditations wholly taken up with that which is the life of the Sacrament even the death of our Saviour let not your hearts be roving and wandering about watch them narrowly you will hardly keep them close to a duty two Minutes without great watching Thirdly There is something to be done after when you have eaten of this living bread that is to be exceeding thankful study to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleasing That 's the first Use of Information The second Vse is of Exhortation Is Jesus Christ that living bread that gives eternal life to all those that have a
Tryals that are to be endured You have often heard and you will know it at one time or other you will not believe us but you will believe one day your own experience That through many Afflictions you must enter into the kingdom of God And 2 Tim. 3.12 Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution They must look for persecution in one kind or other And in the world you shall have tribulation saith our Saviour You must look for it says he if you be my disciples John 16.33 And says Luther If thou beest not a Cross-bearing Christian thou art no Christian indeed How is it possible now for a man to climb this rocky way if he hath not strength for the way to Heaven is like the way that Jonathan and his Armour-bearer had in climbing up a great Rock a sharp rock was on the one side and a sharp rock was on the other side 1 Sam. 14.4 How is it possible for a man to climb up this rocky way if he have not some considerable strength If Stephen for example had not had a great measure of strength how could he have lookt upon his persecutors so chearfully in the midst of all their threatnings when they were ready to stone him yet then they beheld his face as if it had been the face of an Angel Acts 6.15 And if Saint Paul had not had considerable strength how could he have have said True the holy Ghost witnesseth that bonds and afflictions wait for me in every place in every City where ever I go but none of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my course with joy and the Ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God Acts 20.23 24. What a gallant answer was that which one made to Valentinian the Arrian Emperour that threatned him with Bonds Imprisonment Banishment and death Tush says he Let him scare children with such Bug-bears as these he cannot scare me with them he may take away my life but he cannot take away my love to the truth Here was a strong Christian Now I say if a man have not a considerable strength how can he be able to bear all the afflictions that he may meet with Can you drink of the cup says our Saviour that I shall drink of and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with Matth. 20.22 He speaks there of the baptism of blood Can you be baptized with this bloody baptism can you be content to suffer for my sake Thirdly You have need of a great deal of strength in your souls in regard of the enemies that are to be encountred with spiritual enemies dangerous enemies deadly implacable enemies For example now One of the greatest Enemies you have to encounter with is an invisible enemy namely that Judas which you and I have in our hearts the cursed corruption in our Natures that works us more mischief than either the World or the Devil nay then all the Devils in Hell can do You see the whole world in a manner is subdued by this cursed enemy called Sin the whole World almost is brought into bondage to it and it is an enemy that you and I can never be rid of until our bodies drop down into the dust Then you have a flattering and bewitching World and the lusts and pleasures of it are its baits those baits and allurements of it do so Lime-twigg the soul it is not able to mount up oh how many are bewitched by it to their own destruction Demas hath forsaken me having loved this present World and he loves it because it is present What is the reason of all the Apostacy and Back-sliding and falling from the Profession and Principles and Practice of Godliness but only the love of this present world Men love the world because it is present they prefer a present possession before a future expectation Christs promise is for the future You shall be happy hereafter but say they the world pays down upon the nail You shall have it in hand not in hope says the world If you can but lye swear and cog and flatter and temporize and turn with every wind saith the world you shall have this preserment Now this is that which takes with many men the World is such an enemy while it kisses it kills the World like Dalilah while it dandles you upon its lap it betrays you to Satan How many are there at this day that will sacrifice the peace of a good conscience they will forsake and lose God and Christ and heaven and happiness and all rather than they will part with their present enjoyments Oh that such would consider the pleasures of sin are but for a season but the punishments for sin are for ever Again You have Satan to encounter with who is an implacable enemy a roaring Lion that walks about seeking whom he may devour and the dint of all his malice is against those that desire to walk most strictly most uprightly before God for the greater part of the world I mean them that are unregenerate those that are rockt asleep in the Cradle of security he never troubles them When the strong man armed keeps his Palace all his goods are in peace Satan never molests them these are his own houshold under his own power but the dint of all his malice is against those that have given up their names to Jesus Christ and the more holy and heavenly-minded and unblameable you desire to be in your Conversations the greater will be his rage and enmity against you Fourthly Another Enemy you have to encounter with and that is Death the last enemy that shall be destroyed which is called the King of fears and the fear of Kings of all terribles the most terrible as the Philosopher calls it Now you have all these enemies to conquer and how can you look the King of terrors in the face if you have not this spiritual strength Fifthly You have need of a great deal of strength in regard of the danger of Apostacy that must be prevented Oh great exceeding great greater than I am able to tell you is the danger of Apostacy Oh that I could speak it with all earnestness that if it might be you might take heed of it Those that turn aside to their crooked ways the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity Oh they are lost and undone for ever Psalm 125.5 And if any man draws back saith God my soul shall have no pleasure in him A dreadful Scripture which may make Apostates quake and tremble God takes no pleasure in such as draw back and it had been better for a man never to have known the ways of God than having known them to turn aside from the holy commandment It s better to be an Atheist a Pagan a Turk an Insidel any thing rather than an Apostate
be more base in my own sight 2 Sam. 6.27 Lastly Act Grace humbly when you have done all that you can do say you are unprofitable servants and say with St. Paul It was not I but the grace of God which was with me 1 Cor. 15.10 Lastly I shall shew you in what seasons you must act Grace certainly Grace must be acted at all times but there are some special seasons wherein we must especially act Grace First Upon the receipt of some special Mercy then we should act Thankfulness more than ordinarily and say What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me Psal 116.12 Is Gods hand enlarged in bounty then let my heart be enlarged with thankfulness Secondly When you lye under a smarting Rod a piercing Affliction then act Faith and Patience A man usually never acts Grace better than when he is under some abasement a soul can better mannage a state of adversity than it can a state of prosperity for when it is in a state of abasement then it is at a less distance from God as Roses they are never so sweet as when they are in a Still and fire is under them never does our Graces usually send forth a sweeter favour than when God is pleased to exercise us with Afflictions David was never better than when he was under the Rod then he made those heavenly soul ravishing Psalms that you meet with in the book of Psalms The best Psalms the most heavenly and spiritual Psalms were made when David was in a low condition witness the 34 Psalm it s one of the sweetest Psalms you meet with when was it made when David was in the lowest condition that ever he was in when he was in that straight he was forced to feign himself mad 1 Sam. 21.13 See how Davids heart was enlarged in the making of this Psalm Thirdly Another fit season to act Grace in is when you receive the seals of the Covenant of Grace in the use of the holy Ordinance of the Lords Supper that is a time for you to act Grace in then should you be acting brokenness of heart for can you look upon a broken Saviour without a broken heart upon a bleeding Saviour without a bleeding heart then should you be acting Humility and say as Mephibosheth What is thy servant that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am 2 Sam. 9.8 Nay but here is more that thou shouldst not only look on me but set me at thy Table what a beggar a loathsom leprous beggar to sit at the Table of the King of Glory Then act Love to Jesus Christ what hath he loved me so dearly Oh how should I love him above all expressions of love and be sick of love to him Then act Faith especially for that is a grace you have most need of when you come to the Lords Table as now faith is the very eye whereby we look upon him it is the hand whereby we receive him it is the mouth whereby we feed on him says Christ except you eat my flesh and drink my blood you have no life in you Joh. 6.52 53. He does not here speak of a Corporal eating of him far be it from us to have such a thought as they of Capernaum had how can this man give us his flesh to eat that man that believes in Christ he feeds on Christ Then be acting of Thankfulness after you have received the Lords Supper Oh what thanks shall I return to the Lord my God! Oh! my whole course of life should be nothing but a continual gratulation to my Father for that never-sufficiently admired gift of the Lord Jesus Christ If I had ten thousand thousand tongues I could never praise him sufficiently Then act holy Resignation of your selves up to Christ what did the Lord give himself for me I will give my self up to him was he crucified for my sins I will crucifie my sins for him Study conformity to him and that will evidence that you have Communion with him There is no more certain evidence of our Communion with Christ in his Graces Comforts Merits and Spirit c. than in our conformity to him when we resemble him in Grace here it is a certain evidence that we shall resemble him in Glory hereafter In one word do but make it your business to be acting your Grace and you may trust God for the bringing in of your Comforts the more you are active in Grace the more shall be your Comfort If we had more activity of Grace we should have more evidence of Christs dwelling in our hearts here and God would have more Glory our souls would have more peace and we should have abundance of more rejoycing in the day of our Lord Jesus CHRISTS TEMPTATION THE SAINTS SUPPORTATION A SERMON Preach'd Decemb. 9. 1657. Heb. II. 13. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted THE scope of the Apostle in the former Chapter is to prove that Jesus Christ is truly God therefore far above the Angels for says he in the fifth verse of that Chapter Vnto which of the Angels said he at any time thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee In this Chapter the Apostle proves that Jesus Christ is truly man and therefore in that respect inferiour to the Angels Verse 9 But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour And because it might be demanded But why is it needful that Jesus Christ should be man why did he not take on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham Verse 16. The Apostle give us four reasons why our blessed Saviour would be man why he took our human nature upon him First He did it for the sanctification of our nature and that reason is set down in v. 11 For both be that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one that is they are all of one and the same nature we come all from one common root Christ came from the same root that we did namely from Adam and this he did that he might sanctifie our nature Secondly The Lord Jesus Christ became man that he might in our nature and for our benefit destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil that is set down in Verse 14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil Thirdly He became man that he might deliver us not only from the hurt of death but deliver us also from the fear of death and that 's set down in Verse 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage Fourthly He became man that by the experience of his sufferings in our
very precious As if he should say You have an infinite and an invaluable benefit by him therefore you have great reason so highly to prize him Vnto you that do believe that is that can rest and rely upon this Rock of Salvation that can pawn your Souls upon him that can close with him and cleave to him and obey him as your Prince and your Saviour Vnto you says the Apostle he is precious or he is a price and an honour for so the Original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies he is not only precious but of infinite price he is not only honourable but honour it self in the Abstract for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both price and honour The words being thus opended afford these two Points of Doctrine which lie clear in the Text. Doct. 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is infinitely precious in himself Doct. 2. As Jesus Christ is precious in himself so he is exceeding precious in the eyes of all Believers and most highly prized by them Doct. 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ is infinitely precious in himself He is called in the 4th verse of this Chapter A living-stone chosen of God and precious And in Isa 28.16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold I lay in Sion for a foundation a stone a tryed stone a precious Corner-stone a sure Foundation For the better understanding of this Point two things are to be opened First What it is to be Precious or what may be included in this Phrase precious Secondly How this may be applyed to Jesus Christ or wherein the preciousness of Jesus Christ consists First What is it to be precious What is included in this Phrase precious The Hebrew word signifies divers things I will name you but these five or six and every one of those significations are rightly applicable to the Lord Jesus Christ Sometimes the word precious is taken for bright and glorious Thus the Sun and the Moon are said to walk in brightness Job 31.26 If I beheld the Sun when it shined or the Moon walking in brightness Job there speaking of the Moon says it walks in brightness it walks as it were through the Heavens honourably it walks in a great deal of brightness and glory Thus the Lord Jesus Christ in this sense is precious because he is the glorious sun of Righteousness as he is called Mal. 4.2 Vnto you that fear my Name shall the sun of Righteousness arise with healing under his wings And he calls himself the bright Morning-Star in Rev. 22.16 I am the bright Morning-Star Again Secondly The word precious is taken sometimes for that that is scarce and rare to be had for that which is not bestowed upon all but upon some few persons Thus the Word of God in Samuel's time was said to be precious 1 Sam. 3.1 And the Word of the Lord was precious in those days there was no open Vision it was communicated but to a few And in this sense also the Lord Jesus Christ may be said to be precious because he is communicated but to a very few A little Flock Luke 12.32 A little little Flock as the word signifies a very little Flock in comparison of those that have no interest in him nor any benefit by him For not many wise men after the flesh not many Mighty not many Noble are called 1 Cor. 1.26 There are but few very few in comparison of the great multitude that have an interest in him in that regard he is precious Thirdly Sometimes the word precious is taken for that which is dear and costly So the Lord Jesus Christ is very dear to his Father the dearly beloved Son of his bosom and his blood is very costly it is called precious blood If the blood of all the Princes upon Earth had been spilt nay if all the Angels in Heaven had lost their lives it had not been comparable to one drop of the precious blood of Jesus Christ which is called the blood of God Acts 20.28 Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Fourthly The word precious sometimes is taken for that which is pleasant and delightful Jer. 31.20 Is Ephraim my dear Son is he a pleasant Child There is the same word for precious called pleasant In this regard the Lord Jesus Christ may be called precious because he is so delightful to the Father Isa 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth Fifthly That may be said to be precious that is of very great and invaluable use or that whereof we have an indispensable necessity Now in this sense also Jesus Christ is precious he is of infinite use to a Believer such indispensable need have we of him that without him we must perish everlastingly Except ye eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood you have no life in you John 6.53 Lastly That is said to be precious which is honourable Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee therefore I will give men for thee and people for thy life Isa 43.4 And as I told you even now the Original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 siguifieth honour as well as price So the Lord Jesus Christ he is infinitely honourable honourable in himself all the Angels honour and admire him and he is an Honour to his Church and Chosen to all those that have a part and interest in him therefore he is said to be The glory of his people Israel Luke 2.32 A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel You see the first thing opened What it is to be precious Now the second thing for Explication is this How this Title precious may be applyed to Jesus Christ or wherein does the preciousness of Jesus Christ so much appear For answer to this You must know the preciousness of Jesus Christ does appear in these six Particulars First He is exceeding infinitely unconceivably precious in his Person God and Man united in one Person Co-essential with the Father that is having the same Essence and Substance with him in John 10.30 I and my Father are one And he is Co-equal with the Father He thought it no robery to be equal with God Pbil. 2.6 Being the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1.3 Therefore he is infinitely precious in his Person Secondly As he is precious in his Person so is he precious in his Titles those rich and glorious Titles that are attributed to him For Example Isa 9.6 This is the name wherewith the Lord Jesus Christ is called Wonderful Counsellonr El the Mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Pray mark with what a glorious Title he is called there The Mighty God How dare then any blasphemous Arrian or Atheist deny the Divinity
of the Lord Jesus Christ deny that he is God when this is one of the Titles wherewith he is called The Mighty God The Everlasting Father The Prince of Peace What glorious Titles are here So you shall read he is called his Fathers delight Isa 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my sul delighteth And the Fathers bosom-friend John 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time save the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him If the love of all the Parents in the World were concentred in one it were but as a drop of that infinite Ocean of Love that is between the Father and the Son Nay more he is called the Fathers Fellow Zech. 13.7 Awake O Sword against my Shepherd and against the man that is my Fellow saith the Lord of Hosts So likewise he is called The Head of the Church Eph. 5.23 and the Judg both of quick and dead Acts 10.42 In a word such is the Dignity of his Person such is the Excellency of his Merits such is the sweetness of his Graces such is the fulness of his Perfection that the Scripture does abundantly put those terms of honour upon the Lord Christ as sometimes comparing him to a Corner-stone because he does support us Ephes 2.20 Sometimes to A Vine because he does refresh us John 15.1 Sometimes unto a Physician because he does heal us Matth. 9.12 Sometimes to a Day-star because he does enlighten us Rev. 22.16 Sometimes to A Shepherd because he does lead us John 10. Sometimes to Manna or the Bread of life because he does feed us What glorious Titles are these that are given to Christ therefore he is precious in his Titles Thirdly As he is precious in his Titles so he is precious in his Offices in his Kingly Office in his Priestly Office and in his Prophetical Office First He is precious in his Kingly Office he calls himself The King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev 19.16 The King of Kings He is such a King that conquers the enemies of our Salvation as Sin and Satan and Death and Hell and the World other Kings Rule over us but this King can only Rule in us My Kingdom is not of this world saith he The Kingdom of God is within you Lnke 17.21 This King can make Laws that can bind the Conscience he is such a King as hath all Power in Heaven and Earth committed to him Matth. 28.18 Again He is such a Priest as hath reconeiled us to God the Father and ever lives to make intercession for us who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities Col. 1.21 Heb. 7.25 Heb. 4.15 And he is such a Prophet as can perfectly instruct his Church others may preach to the ear but he hath his Pulpit in Heaven only that can preach to the heart other Preachers can open the Scriptures but it is Jesus Christ only that can open our understandings that we may understand the Scriptures Luke 24.45 Then opened he their underderstandings that they might understand the Scriptures O what glorious Offices are these Fourthly He is precious in his Ordinances For Example His Word is exceeding precious to all those that have tasted the sweetness of it how precious was it to David Psalm 119.72 The Law of thy Mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver How precious are Sabbaths to those that know how much of Heaven is wrapt up in the Sabbath Certainly these Sabbath-days are Market-days for our Souls wherein we may make provision for Eternity days wherein the Lord Jesus Christ many times communicates himself and much of his sweetness to those that wait upon him in holy Duties And how precious is the Ordinance of the Lords Supper wherein the Lord Christ makes us a feast of fat things a feast of Wines on the Lees of fat things full of Marrow Wines on the Lees well refined Isa 25. Wherein he gives his own flesh to eat his flesh that was crucified to satisfie Divine Justice and his own blood to drink that blood which only can quench the fire of Hell quench the fire of Gods anger which otherwise would have been burning and burning against us to all Eternity Fifthly As he is precious in his Ordinances so he is precious in his Prerogatives for he and he only is the Saviour of the World and besides him there was no other Saviour Acts 4.12 Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other Name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved That is there is nothing can be named for it is but a Hebraism there is nothing can be named under Heaven whereby we can be saved but only the Name of Jesus Christ he had no Coadjutor or Helper in the work of our Redemption Isa 63.3 I have trodden the Wine-press alone and of the People there was none with me for I will tread them in mine anger and trample them in my fury and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments and I will stain all my rayment And as he is the only Saviour so he is the only Mediator too For there is one God and one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 So he is the only Head of his Church Eph. 1.22 And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be the Head over all things to the Church He only hath the Supremacy and Authority as being Omnipotent and Omnipresent one that is able to protect his people from all injuries one that is able to prevent all the plots and projects that are hatcht and invented against them he hath these Prerogatives that cannot be given to any Creature in Heaven or Earth but only unto him therefore he is precious in his Prerogatives Sixthly The Lord Christ is precious also in the purchase of his blood the purchase he made for us by his blood is a very precious purchase and the portion that he bestows on his Elect that he hath purchased for them is a precious portion so he is precious not only in regard of his Person but in regard of his Portion For Example the Redemption that he hath wrought for us by his blood is a precious Redemption a Redemption from Sin and Satan and Death and Hell In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins Ephes 1.7 Secondly The donation or bestowing of his Spirit it is a very precious gift that the Spirit of God should in his Name that is for his Merit be bestowed upon all those that do believe But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you John 14.26 O what a precious invaluable gift is it to have the Spirit of God given us to quicken us to draw us to Jesus Christ and to carry on the
now be confirmed and precious Evidences of Eternal Salvation may be now gained and likewise precious Graces and precious Faith and precious Hope and precious Love Humility Repentance and Self-denial these precious Graces may be now procured a precious soul may be saved a precious pardon may be sealed Oh what precious things then are tendred to you in the preaching of the Gospel these opportunities therefore are exceeding precious if Christ be thine now he is thine for ever Oh that you you did but know the price of these things that are tendred to you in the preaching of the Gospel if a condemned prisoner did know how precious the pardon that was brought to him was would he slight it Here is a precious Pardon Grace Mercy Peace all tendred to you in the preaching of the Gospel How infinitely then does it concern us to improve our Gospel-seasons 4. The fourth Lesson by way of inference is this It lets us see the contempt nay the neglect of the Gospel is a very dangerous sin for if the knowledg of Salvation be brought to the soul by the Gospel then certainly he that neglect the Gospel neglects Salvation and Salvation it self shall not save that man that despiseth the remedy yea that neglects Salvation says the Apostle How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Heb. 2.3 As if he had said It is impossible to escape eternal Damnation if we do but neglect this eternal Salvation These are the Lessons from this Doctrine and that 's the first Use of Information The second Use I shall make of this Doctrine it is for Examination If so be the knowledg of eternal Life be brought by the Gospel be discovered and revealed by the Gospel then take occasion to call your selves to an account and see whether this eternal Salvation be so discovered to you that you may be partakers of it otherwise what advantage will it be to you to hear that Life and Immortality is brought to light unless this Light do shine into your souls But may be you will say to me How may we do to know that the Day-spring from on High hath shined into my soul that God hath called me out of darkness into his marvellous Light that he hath discovered the Mysteries of Salvation to me even to me I answer You may know it briefly thus If the Light of Life be revealed to thy Soul then certainly thy knowledg will not be a Notional knowledg only but an Experimental knowledg thou wilt not have a knowledg swimming in thy head only but a soaking and sinking knowledg in thy heart thou wilt not only know Christ but taste Christ thou wilt taste that hidden Manna Rev. 2.17 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna Thou wilt not only know but taste the bitterness of sin and thou wilt say Jer. 2.19 It is an evìl and bitter thing that I have for saken the Lord and that his fear is not in me A blind man may talk of Colours that never saw them and a hungry man may talk of a full dinner that never tasted it so a carnal man may have a great deal of knowledg in his head and never rellish nor taste it but he that hath the knowledg of Salvation revealed to his soul he hath a Light shining in his heart Jer. 31.34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord that is they shall not need to be taught those experimental truths that are written in their own hearts by the finger of the Spirit of God A man that hath this Life and Immortality brought to light by the Gospel will say You need not tell me that sin is a bitter thing I have tasted the bitterness of it You need not tell me the favour of God is sweet and lovely Oh it is sweeter to me than life it self You need not tell me that Jesus Christ is very Amiable and Beautiful I see him to be so with my eye of faith You need not tell me there is a marvellous power in the death of Christ for the crucifying of sin I do experimentally know it when a man hath this experimental knowledg he will say as the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.13 I was before a Blasphemer and a Persecutor and injurious but I obtained Mercy because I did it ignorantly When a man hath the feeling and experience of spiritual Truths in his own soul then may he be sure that Life and Immortality is brought to light by the Gospel unto him A third Use I shall make of this Doctrine it is of Reproof Two sorts there are that are justly liable to the reproof of this Doctrine First It condemns and crys down that Hellish practice of the whore of Rome and the Popish Clergy who lock up the Scriptures and keep Millions of souls from the knowledg of Gospel from the knowledg of the mysteries of Salvation this is all one as if they should lock them up in the pit of Infernal darkness for if so be Salvation or Eternal Life be brought to light by the Gospel and this Gospel be to them but as a Light in a dark Lanthorn must not they needs inevitably perish Oh cruel bloody Butchers Oh merciless mischievous Soul-destroyers may we say of the Romish Synagogue well may the whore of Rome be said to be drunk with blood because she is drunk not only with the blood of the bodies of Men but with the blood of the Souls of men Oh the tender Mercies of God that hath opened our eyes to see better things and to free us from the bondage and slavery of that Antichristian yoke this is a great mercy to be delivered from the poyson of those serpents and a greater mercy than ever we can be thankful for But take this withal I beseech you Take heed that Popery do not creep in at a back-dore of Toleration let us bless God for that liberty that we have but take heed that you do not hanker after those Popish Doctrines that may poyson the soul and that will provoke God to remove his Candlestick from amongst us A second sort to be reproved are those that grow weary of the Gospel I but may be you will say Are there any so bad in our days as to be weary of the Gospel yea my brethren many there are that are weary of the Truths of it many that are weary of the Profession of it many that are weary of the Power and Practise of it First Many there are that are weary of the Truths of the Gospel that chuse rather to be raking in the stinking puddles of Popery Arminianism Socinianism and other damnable heresies as the Apostle calls them they chuse these rather than the clear fountain of truth revealed in the Gospel Oh these are in a very dangerous condition when men chuse rather to
some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ He gave gifts to men he did not only give extraordinary gifts such as Apostles and Prophets and Evangelists but ordinary gifts to Pastors and Teachers for the building up of his own body And as he feeds his sheep with his Word so with his Sacraments and here is such feeding as you did never hear the like for this blessed Shepherd feeds his sheep with his own flesh and blood his own flesh that was crucified to satisfie Divine Justice and his own blood that was shed to quench the fire of Gods wrath that was kindled against them this is that our Saviour tells you of in John 6.51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world And in Revel 1.5 He hath loved us and washt us from our sins in his blood As they say of the Pelican when her young ones are ready to die she opens her breast with her bill and feeds them with her blood so the Lord Jesus Christ feeds every one of his sheep with his flesh and blood Again He feeds the souls of his sheep with the graces of his own blessed Spirit as Faith Repentance Love Humility Sincerity and the like which are spiritual food suitable to the spiritual nature of the soul So he feeds his sheep with the Promises which are said to be breasts of consolation Isa 66.11 That ye may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of consolation that ye may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory With the breasts of consolation that is with the precious promises And this is that which that good King Hezekiah intended in that speech of his Isa 38.16 Oh Lord by these things men live and in all these things is the life of my spirit so wilt thou recover me and make me to live These precious promises made good to my soul by these do men live and these are the life of my Spirit Thus you see how this blessed Shepherd feeds his Sheep But yet more He does not only feed his Sheep but he gives them Stomachs also look as it is in point of knowledg we are not able to see him of our selves we cannot see him without him for he is our Light and as in point of performance we are not able to believe on him nor come unto him without him for he is our strength so here neither can we feed on Jesus Christ nor the promises nor the graces of his Spirit until he gives us a mouth to taste these things therefore the Apostle exhorts us as new-born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the word that we may grow thereby if so be we have tasted that the Lord is gracious as if he should have said You cannot feed unless you have tasted of this blessed Saviour 1 Pet. 2.2 3. Secondly As he feeds so he cloaths his Sheep here amongst men the Sheep cloaths the Shepherd the Fleece of the sheep cloaths the Shepherd But here this blessed Shepherd cloaths every one of his Sheep he cloaths them with costly raiment indeed Ezck. 16.10 11 12 I cloathed thee also with broidered work and shod thee with Badgers skin and I girded thee about with fine linnen and I covered thee with Silk I decked thee also with ornaments and I put bracelets upon thy hands and a Chain upon thy neck and I put a Jewel on thy forehead and ear-rings in thine ears and a beautiful Crown upon thy head thus wast thou decked with Gold and Silver and thy rayment was of fine Linnen and Silk and broidred work Therefore it is that you read that the Apostle bids us to put on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13.14 He cloaths us with the Robe of his own Righteousness He covers us with the garments of Salvation as a Brridegroom decketh himself with Ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her self with her Jewels Isa 61.10 Thirdly He does protect his Sheep and watcheth over them from Morning to Evening he hath his eye continually upon them therefore David speaking of the Lord being his Shepherd then says he Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me thy Rod and thy Staff they comfort me Psal 23.4 Fourthly and lastly He gives to his Sheep Eternal Life John 10.28 And I give unto my Sheep Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand Thus you have the Point opened That Jesus Christ is that Blessed Shepherd who is abundantly able to feed and protect his People here and to give them Eternal Life hereafter because he hath the greatest Care over them the greatest Love to them the greatest Power that ever Shepherd had and the greatest Reward to give them that can possibly be bestowed Now for the Uses of this Point and they are three by way of Instruction Examination or Tryal and Exhortation First By way of Instruction Oh see the Blessed the Happy the Comfortable Condition of all those that have a part and interest in the Lord Jesus Christ this Blessed Shepherd what tongue of Men or Angels is able to express the happy and blessed condition of that man that hath gotten Jesus Christ for his Portion such a one shall be sure of Food of Cloathing of Protection of Joy of Comfort of Happiness of Eternal Life and what not Oh how may that soul dance for joy that hath gotten Jesus Christ to be his Shepherd surely it is a comfortable and heart-chearing meditation in these turbulent and stormy times when the Church of God hath so many enemies and so sew friends when the Antichristian Faction roars against the little Flock of this blessed Shepherd like so many Bears to devour them here is the comfort Jesus Christ sticks as close to his Flock as ever David did to his Flock when the Lyon and the Bear came to make a prey of them Fear not little Flock says our Saviour it is your Fashers good pleasure to give you a Kingdom Luk. 12.32 As he said when he was sailing in the Boat with Cesar the Boatman beginning to be afraid because of the tempestuousness of the waters Fear not man thou carriest Cesar and all his Fortunes with him so may it be said of every one that hath Jesus Christ in the Boat with him Let him not fear true indeed the Ship wherein Christ and his Sheep are may be tossed but it can never be over-turned because the Shepherd and Pilot are in it therefore happy is the condition of all those that have an interest in this Blessed Shepherd But on the contrary Oh the deplorable and desperate condition of all those that have not Jesus Christ for their Shepherd
I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me In a word They know that Jesus Christ is their Rock their Refuge their Redeemer their Peace their Portion their All and therefore they see the infinite need they have of him and that without him they are nothing they can do nothing they are worse than nothing therefore they prize him Here is one Reason why Jesus Christ is so precious to true Believers because they see the infinite need they have of him Secondly Jesus Christ is thus precious to true Believers because they see an invaluable and unconceivable beauty in him It is true indeed to Unbelievers Jesus Christ hath no beauty in him that they should desire him as it is Isa 53.2 For be shall grow up before him as a tender Plant and as a root out of a dry ground he hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him A carnal earthly minded man he says concerning Christ as they did in the place before named Cant. 5.9 What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved What is there of so much beauty in Christ that we should either eye him observe him prize him or seek him or look after him Acts 4.11 This is the Stone which was set at nought by you builders Jesus Christ is as a thing of nothing in an Unbelievers eye such a one makes no more reckoning of him with reverence be it spoken than the dirt under foot Whereas Faith you must know hath an Eagles eye it can see things afar off it sees a great deal of beauty in the Lord Jesus Christ though in respect of any of these outward accommodations there is no beauty at all in him yet discerning things with a Spiritual eye a Believer sees Christ afar off as it is said of Abraham John 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad There was an eye of Faith in Abraham He saw my day and rejoyced Hence it is that believing in Christ is sometimes expressed by this Phrase of seeing Christ Act. 22.14 Ananias speaking to Paul said The God of our Fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldst know his will and see that just one and shouldst hear the voice of his mouth See him that is that thou shouldst believe in him Faith therefore sees Christ sees him afar off sees him though cloathed with our flesh with our infirmities Faith looks upon Jesus Christ and does see him evidently crucified as the Apostle speaks Gal. 3.1 O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you Nay Faith sees a great deal of beauty in his sufferings how much more in his glory for Example Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt Heb. 11.26 Why for he had respect unto the recompence of reward he had the quick-sighted eye of Faith You read in Mark 2 when the Wise men came from the East to Jerusalem to enquire after him that was born King of the Jews that is after Jesus Christ when they came to enquire of him they first came to Jerusalem and they saw Herod it may be arrayed in all his glorious Robes but we do not read that they fell down and worshipped Herod then they came to Bethlehem where they saw the Babe Jesus wrapt in Swadling-cloaths in a poor Garb it may be little better than rags yet they fall down and worship him Now what is the reason that they did not worship a magnificent glorious Herod in all his Robes but they worship a poor contemptible Babe in Swadling-cloaths surely this was because they had a spiritual eye of Faith they looked on Christ with an eye of Faith therefore in his Infancy they saw greatness in his meanness they saw Majesty and more Glory in Christ in his Rags than in Herod in his Robes Thirdly Christ is thus precious to true Believers because they do not only see the need they have of him and a great deal of beauty in him but they do receive very rich and invaluable benefits by him for the present First They receive many temporal mercies by him all their temporal comforts come streaming to them in the blood of Jesus Christ Christ is the Heir of all things and all things are Believers by Christ All things are yours says the Apostle so far as you are Christs 1 Cor. 3.22 Secondly As they receive temporal mercies so they receive many spiritual Priviledges Graces and comforts by him They receive spiritual Priviledges as Justification Sanctification and Adoption First Justification Oh what a Priviledg is this that through Jesus Christ God should look upon Believers not as Sinners but as Saints for God to say of them Thou art all fair my Beloved there is no spot in thee in respect of Justification there is no spot in thee though their Sanctification be imperfect Cant. 4.7 Believers have the blood of Jesus Christ to take away all their guilt not only the guilt contracted in their unregenerate estate but the guilt contracted in the estate of grace Alas says a Believer when I have done a Duty used a comfort filled my Relations in the best manner I can what would become of me if I had not a Saviour a Mediator to take away the iniquity of my holy Offerings But now this is a priviledg better worth than the Gold of Ophir nay better worth than the whole World namely by Jesus Christ and believing in him We are justified from all things from which we could not be justified by the Law of Moses Act. 13.39 Secondly And as they receive the priviledg of Justification so Believers receive the priviledg of Sanctification by him for Christ is not only made to us Wisdom by his Word and Righteousness by his Merit but Sanctification also by his Spirit 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ is made not only a pattern of holiness to us but the principle of holiness Believers are strong in his Strength and wise by his Wisdom and holy by his Holiness and meek by his Meekness they have the Image of Jesus Christ stampt upon their Souls they know him in some measure in the power of his death killing and crucifying the old man together with the affections and lusts thereof they know him in the power of his Resurrection raising them up to a holy and Heavenly Conversation Thus I say they receive the priviledg of Sanctification by Jesus Christ Thirdly And then they receive the Priviledg of Adoption too as he is the Natural Son of God Believers being united to him they are partakers of his Son-ship they are made the Sons and Daughters of God by Adoption And I will be a Father to you and you shall be my Sons and Daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6. ult Secondly And so Believers receive spiritual grace from him Look as the Oyl that was