· And killed the prince of life....Acts iii. 15. LIFE. DREADFUL effects of the fall of man! We are not only become enemies to God and rebels against him, but are also so ignorant of ourselves and so blind to our own state, that we do not see this we will not own it. An enemy to God! What, to that good and gracious Lord, in whom I live, move, and have my being? I cannot think that any one upon earth can be so wicked as to be an enemy to God: such is the language of blind nature: thou that utterest it art the man. Yea, such is the enmity of thine, of every man's nature against God, that were it possible and in our power, we should KILL GOD. Start not at the thought! horrid as it is, here is proof of it. God was manifest in flesh. How was he received? How was he treated by sinful man? Let the annals of his holy life speak the base contempt and hellish treatment he met with from man: let the history of his painful and agonizing death proclaim the enmity of sinner's hearts against him. They killed....who? Jesus of Nazareth, a mere man, mighty in word and deed? a great prophet only? Infinitely more, O unparallelled mystery of iniquity! O inscrutable mystery of godliness! They killed the PRINCE OF Such the abominable wickedness of human nature, such the total blindness of the human heart, a murderer is preferred to an innocent man; a vile miscreant is spared, the holy God, the author of life is put to death. Here, O soul, behold the true but horrid picture of human nature: such its enmity to God, as to take away the life of God. Dost thou think in thine heart, surely my nature is not so dreadfully wicked, I could not have done so vile a deed? Thou dost not yet know thyself; thy thoughts proceed from blindness and ignorance of the depth of thy totally wicked nature: as yet thou seest not the amazing heights of the Lord's love. The prince of life dies by the wicked hands of men of wicked hearts. To what end? That by his death his very murderers should live and not die eternally. O matchless love! Learn, O my soul, this night, to fathom the depth of the wicked enmity of the human heart, by the heights of the love of a dying God. Sin has done its worst, slain my God, that I might live; satan, thou hast wrecked thy hellish wrath; but thou art conquered in my Saviour's death. Law, thou hast sheathed thy strongest sting and spent the poison of thy dart in the body of my God: but glory to my prince of life, he lives to love, and loves to save: I am safe. O, may the Spirit make this faith kill legal hopes and self-righteous confidence. Amazing, wond'rous mystery, [kill; But God did suffer this to be; To save our souls from death and hell, As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him....Col. ii. 6. IT is to the glory of the grace of the holy, blessed and glorious trinity, that any poor sinner receives Christ: and Christ is the glory of that heart which receives him: thus there is a mutual complacency and delight between Jehovah, Father, Son and Spirit, and believing souls. Every one who believes in Christ Jesus, has received Christ as his Lord, his atonement, his righteousness, his salvation, as verily as Paul or any of his apostles, God is alike the Father of all such; the Son is alike the Saviour of all such, and the Holy Ghost is alike the sanctifier and comforter of all such. O, well may the believing heart cry out in a rapture of joy, Lord what rich grace is this! What glorious privilege am I invested with! What hast thou wrought! What am I! Why should Jesus apprehend me, worthless me, that I should apprehend him! Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do? Hear and obey: WALK YE IN HIM. What is meant by this? In one word, seeing Christ is yours, enjoy him more and more : how? How did you receive him? As a perishing sinner by faith: then so walk in him: walking implies the whole of a believer's life: that his soul should be in constant motion; that the eye of his faith should be ever looking to, and his heart dependent on, Christ Jesus the Lord so he walks comfortably, holily, steadily, and perseveringly to the glory of his Saviour. But shall we meet with no interruptions in thus walking IN CHRIST Who is THE WAY? Not from him, for he is a most smooth, delightful and pleasant way: only keep in him and you are sure of safety and comfort; but, from within and from without, you will meet with a crowd of objections and interruptions in your walk: the pride and the lusts of the flesh will oppose you; satan will jostle against and strive to impede your steps; the world will attempt to seduce you: be simple of heart, know every step that you are as poor a sinner as when you first received Christ: make him the one object of your heart: when you are ready to halt at the sight of your wickedness, poverty and vileness, consider him, look to him, cry to him; so shall you renew your strength: (6 you shall run and not be weary, walk and not faint."....Isa. xl. 31. You are just at your journey's end; you have the shades of death to pass through. What of that? "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.”. Psalm xxiii. 4. Now we walk in Christ by faith, Christ is a most pleasant way, name, Thy maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his and thy redeemer the holy one of Israel: the God of the whole earth shall he be called....Isa. liv. 5. In this one verse is a trinity of comforts: all are enjoyed in the unity of faith the Spirit bears witness of them: let our hearts attend to them. Consider, 1st. Thou sin-distressed, law-accursed, satan-accused soul, THY MAKER IS THINE HUSBAND. Glorious gospel: faith listen, love awake, hope rejoice. In the Hebrew, thy Maker's thy husband: Father, Son and Spirit. The triune God who made thee, is married to thee, and in covenant with thee. How is this relation effected? God the Son comes into our nature: takes upon him our flesh: we are peculiarly espoused to Christ. 1st. By his ministers: says Paul, “I have espoused you to Christ."....2 Cor. xi. 2. 2d. Experimentally by faith. We know nothing of the loving, eternal designs of Christ to our souls, till by the grace of his Spirit we are brought to him, receive him, and give him our hearts as our own bridegroom: then we feel the blessings, and enjoy the comfort of marriage union: we live in love; walk by faith; rejoice in hope. O Christ, make us and keep us chaste virgins to thee! Sd. Christ is our REDEEMER: why husband before Redeemer? I humbly conceive, to remind us of his eternal love to us: of his eternally espousing our cause, and his purpose before time of marrying our persons. There he took our nature, that in our nature he might redeem us to God his Father: he has effectually done it by his precious blood: being redeemed by him and married to him, the Father owns the relation, glories over us in him, and the Spirit sanctifies and comforts us in him. Therefore, 4th. As an affectionate bride glories in the person, and rejoices in the titles of her husband, so, O soul, do thou in thy heavenly bridegroom. 1st. He is thy MAKER: he who was almighty to create, is almighty to preserve. 2d. He is THE LORD OF HOSTS: what can all the powers of earth and hell do against him? 3d. HE IS THE GOD OF THE WHOLE EARTH: the Lord God omnipotent is thy Jesus; ever glory in him, as equal to the Father, as touching his godhead: fools deny this: the wise unto salvation believe, adore, and glory in Christ as such; who only hath immortality to bestow upon poor sinners, "to whom be honor and power everlasting, Amen."....1 Tim. vi. 16. Ever remember, we are married to Christ that we should bring forth fruit unto God.... Rom. vii. 4. Wedded to the Lord: what, vile me? All other lovers I'd forsake, My Lord, thy love has won my heart: Drop down ye heavens from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together: I the Lord have created it....Isa. xlv. 8. SOME speak very profanely against the councils and decrees of God: this proceeds from carnal reason and ignorance of divine truths: "There is a God in heaven who reveals secrets."....Dan. ii. 28. The scriptures are a revelation of the mind and will, council, decrees, and covenant purposes of the Lord: they contain things new and old; the new covenant grace in Christ Jesus, as well as the old covenant of works with our first parent. Hence it is the delight of God's children to search the records of their heavenly Father to believe them in their hearts, is a certain evidence of their being his new-born sons and adopted children in Christ. Here is a precious portion for thee to feed upon to-night. Sensible that thou hast lost thy original righteousness, in which thou wast created, behold, O soul, from whence it is restored. Not from the earth: it comes from above: by the decrees of the Lord, the heavens and the skies pour it down the Lord spake, and it is done: he commands, and it is brought forth. When righteousness had forsaken the earth, lo, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS came down from heaven to fulfil all righteousness for us, and to bestow an everlasting righteousness upon us: he came down to us as rain, as the former and the latter rain unto the earth....Hos. vi. 3. LET THE EARTH OPEN. The Lord from heaven was made of a woman: formed in the lowest parts of the earth. LET THEM BRING FORTH SALVATION.. What them? Heaven and earth united: God and man in one Christ. This is the way in which righteousness comes to unrighteous sinners; so salvation comes to perishing sinners; both spring up together in the God-man Jesus. I THE LORD HAVE CREATED IT. See, O sinner, and be humble: thou hast no hand in this matter. Canst thou create or give being to any thing? Pride avaunt. No: creation is the Lord's work only: Jesus is the author of righteousness, he the alone finisher of salvation. Rejoice in this new and glorious creation of righteousness and salvation. Faith receives it: hope cleaves to it: peace is obtained by it: joy springs from it: love is excited to the righteous Saviour, while the poor sinner is kept in his right place, at Jesu's feet. Now, if this heavenly blessing has been rained down upon thy soul, it will be alive to God, spring up in his service, and bring forth fruit to his glory. What! If righteousness is poured upon thee from heaven, wilt thou continue dead in sin? No: you will approve the things which are excellent, and pray to be filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory of God....Phil. i. 11. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he zwill shew them his covenant....Psulm xxv. 14. WHO would trust the secrets of his heart with an avowed enemy? David could reveal all that was in him to Jonathan. Why? Because he was his loving, faithful friend: he could trust his very life in his hands. There was a secret between them two, which no one else was privy to: when Jonathan shot the arrows as a signal "knew not any to David, even the lad that gathered them up, thing, only Jonathan and David knew the matter."....1 Sam. xx. 39. Some professors are like this LAD: the Lord will not trust them with his secret; they would abuse it. It is common to hear such LADS in religion say, well, if I was sure that God loved me with an everlasting love, had chosen me from eternity, and would keep me by his power, through faith unto salvation, what need I care how I live? Do not such discover that they are strangers to the love and fear of the friends of God, and that as yet the Lord hath not shewed them his covenant? Out of their own mouths they judge themselves not worthy to be trusted with the Lord's secret. But the great purpose of the Lord's electing grace, everlasting love, and preserving power, is with them who fear the Lord: they cannot, they will not sin because grace abounds: fear prevents: love restrains. The Lord who put this covenant grace into their hearts, keeps it alive there: how? HE WILL SHEW THEM HIS COVENANT: he will manifest more and more the glorious grace of it in Christ; how it is established upon God's precious promises, confirmed by his solemn oath, ratified by the precious blood of Christ, and all the blessings and comforts of it sure and certain to all the believing seed of Christ. O, this keeps a holy, loving, jealous fear in exercise. Do not you find it so? This is the natural effects of it, for this is the work of the Holy Spirit; thereby he at once comforts our heart and sanctifies us unto God. While we love him as our Father, we fear him as his children: the secret of his love makes him dear to our souls: the grace of his covenant strengthens our confidence in him, keeps up fear of sinning against him. The holy, precious nature of covenant grace, everlasting love, divine faithfulness, are all secured to the seed of Christ. Meditate upon it; give equal glory to the trinity for it: for, thus saith Jehovah," My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips."....Psalm lxxxix. 34. God proves our souls by love divine, But such as would thy grace abuse, |