Chapter V: Part 5

Direction more, which shall be the last, _Seventhly_, Read the scripture constantly, or, to use our Saviour’s expression in the text, “search the scriptures;” dig in them as for hid treasure; for here is a manifest allusion to those who dig in mines; and our Saviour would thereby teach us, that we must take as much pains in constantly reading his word, if we would grow wise thereby, as those who dig for gold and silver. The scriptures contain the deep things of GOD, and therefore, can never be sufficiently searched into by a careless, superficial, cursory way of reading them, but by an industrious, close, and humble application.

The Psalmist makes it the characteristic of a good man, that he “meditates on GOD’s law day and night.” And “this book of the law, (says GOD to _Joshua_) shall not go out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night;” for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and thou shalt have good success. Search, therefore, the scriptures, not only devoutly but daily, for in them are the words of eternal life; wait constantly at wisdom’s gate, and she will then, and not till then, display and lay open to you her heavenly treasures. You that are rich, are without excuse if you do not; and you that are poor, ought to take heed and improve that little time you have: for by the scriptures you are to be acquitted, and by the scriptures you are to be condemned at the last day.

But perhaps you have no taste for this despised book; perhaps plays, romances, and books of polite entertainment, suit your taste better: if this be your case, give me leave to tell you, your taste is vitiated, and unless corrected by the Spirit and word of GOD, you shall never enter into his heavenly kingdom: for unless you delight in GOD here, how will you be made meet to dwell with him hereafter. Is it a sin then, you will say, to read useless impertinent books; I answer, Yes: And that for the same reason, as it is a sin to indulge useless conversation, because both immediately tend to grieve and quench that Spirit, by which alone we can be sealed to the day of redemption. You may reply, How shall we know this? Why, put in practice the precept in the text; search the scripture in the manner that has been recommended, and then you will be convinced of the danger, sinfulness, and unsatisfactoriness of reading any others than the book of GOD, or such as are wrote in the same spirit. You will then say, when I was a child, and ignorant of the excellency of the word of GOD, I read what the world calls harmless books, as other children in knowledge, though old in years, have done, and still do; but now I have tasted the good word of life, and am come to a more perfect knowledge of CHRIST JESUS my LORD, I put away these childish, trifling things, and am determined to read no other books but what lead me to a knowledge of myself and of CHRIST JESUS.

Search, therefore, the scriptures, my dear brethren; taste and see how good the word of GOD is, and then you will never leave that heavenly manna, that angel’s food, to feed on dry husks, that light bread, those trifling, sinful compositions, in which men of false taste delight themselves: no, you will then disdain such poor entertainment, and blush that yourselves once were fond of it. The word of GOD will then be sweeter to you than honey, and the honey-comb, and dearer than gold and silver; your souls by reading it, will be filled as it were, with marrow and fatness, and your hearts insensibly moulded into the spirit of its blessed Author. In short, you will be guided by GOD’s wisdom here, and conducted by the light of his divine word into glory hereafter.

SERMON XXXVIII.

The Indwelling of the Spirit,
the common Privilege of all Believers.

JOHN vii. 37, 38, 39.

_In the last day, that great day of the feast, JESUS stood and
cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and
drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said,
out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this
spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should
receive._

NOTHING has rendered the cross of CHRIST of less effect; nothing has been a greater stumbling-block and rock of offence to weak minds, than a supposition, now current among us, that most of what is contained in the gospel of JESUS CHRIST, was designed only for our LORD’s first and immediate followers, and consequently calculated but for one or two hundred years. Accordingly, many now read the life, sufferings, death, and resurrection of JESUS CHRIST, in the same manner as _Cæsar’s Commentaries_, or the _Conquests of Alexander_ are read: as things rather intended to afford matter for speculation, than to be acted over again in and by us.

As this is true of the doctrines of the gospel in general, so it is of the operation of GOD’s Spirit upon the hearts of believers in particular; for we no sooner mention the necessity of our receiving the Holy Ghost in these last days, as well as formerly, but we are looked upon by some, as enthusiasts and madmen; and by others, represented as wilfully deceiving the people, and undermining the established constitution of the church.

Judge ye then, whether it is not high time for the true ministers of JESUS CHRIST, who have been made partakers of this heavenly gift, to lift up their voices like a trumpet; and if they would not have those souls perish, for which the LORD JESUS has shed his precious blood, to declare, with all boldness, that the Holy Spirit is the common privilege and portion of all believers in all ages; and that we as well as the first christians, must receive the Holy Ghost, before we can be truly called the children of GOD.

For this reason, (and also that I might answer the design of our church in appointing the present festival¹) I have chosen the words of the text.

¹ Whitsuntide.

They were spoken by JESUS CHRIST, when he was at the feast of tabernacles. Our LORD attended on the temple-service in general, and the festivals of the _Jewish_ church in particular. The festival at which he was now present, was that of the feast of tabernacles, which the _Jews_ observed according to GOD’s appointment in commemoration of their living in tents. At the last day of this feast, it was customary for many pious people to fetch water from a certain place, and bring it on their heads, singing this anthem out of _Isaiah_, “And with joy shall they draw water out of the wells of salvation.” Our LORD observing this, and it being his constant practice to spiritualize every thing he met with, cries out, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, (rather than unto that well) and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath spoken, (where it is said, GOD will make water to spring out of a dry rock, and such-like) out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” And that we might know what our Saviour meant by this living water, the Evangelist immediately adds, “But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive.”

The last words I shall chiefly insist on in the ensuing discourse: And

_First_, I shall briefly shew, what is meant by the word Spirit.

_Secondly_, That this Spirit is the common privilege of all
believers.

_Thirdly_, I shall shew the reason on which this doctrine is
founded. And

_Lastly_, Conclude with a general exhortation to believe on
JESUS CHRIST, whereby alone we can receive this Spirit.

_First_, I am to shew, what is meant by the word _Spirit_.

By the Spirit, is evidently to be understood the Holy Ghost, the third person in the ever-blessed Trinity, consubstantial and ♦co-eternal with the Father and the Son, proceeding from, yet equal to them both. For, to use the words of our Church in this day’s office, that which we believe of the glory of the Father, the same we believe of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, without any difference or inequality.

♦ “co-eternnl” replaced with “co-eternal”

Thus, says St. _John_, in his first epistle, chapter v. verse 7. “There are three that bare record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.” And our LORD, when he gave his Apostles commission to go and teach all nations, commanded them to baptize in the name of the Holy Ghost, as well as of the Father and the Son. And St. _Peter_, _Acts_ v. 3. said to _Ananias_, “Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?” And verse 4. he says, “Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto GOD.” From all which passages, it is plain, that the Holy Ghost, is truly and properly GOD, as well as the Father and the Son. This is an unspeakable mystery, but a mystery of GOD’s revealing, and, therefore, to be assented to with our whole hearts: seeing GOD is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should deceive. I proceed,

_Secondly_, To prove that the Holy Ghost is the common privilege of all believers.

But, here I would not be understood of so receiving the Holy Ghost, as to enable us to work miracles, or shew outward signs and wonders. I allow our adversaries, that to pretend to be inspired, in this sense, is being wise above what is written. Perhaps it cannot be proved, that GOD ever interposed in this extraordinary manner, but when some new revelation was to be established, as at the first settling of the _Mosaic_ and gospel dispensation: and as for my own part, I cannot but suspect the spirit of those who insist upon a repetition of such miracles at this time. For the world being now become nominally christian, (though, GOD knows, little of the power is left among us) there need not outward miracles, but only an inward co-operation of the Holy Spirit with the word, to prove that JESUS is the Messiah which was to come into the world.

Besides, if it was possible for thee, O man, to have faith, so as to be able to remove mountains, or cast out devils; nay, couldst thou speak with the tongue of men and angels, yea, and bid the sun stand still in the midst of heaven; what would all these gifts of the Spirit avail thee, without being made partaker of his sanctifying graces? _Saul_ had the spirit of government for a while, so as to become another man, and yet probably was a cast-away. And many, who cast out devils in CHRIST’s name, at the last will be disowned by him. If, therefore, thou hadst only the gifts, and was destitute of the graces of the Holy Ghost, they would only serve to lead thee with so much the more solemnity to hell.

Here then we join issue with our adversaries, and will readily grant, that we are not in this sense to be inspired, as were our LORD’s first Apostles. But unless men have eyes which see not, and ears that hear not, how can they read the latter part of the text, and not confess that the Holy Spirit, in another sense, is the common privilege of all believers, even to the end of the world? “This spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive.” Observe, he does not say, they that believe on him for one or two ages, but they that believe on him in general, or, at all times, and in all places. So that, unless we can prove, that St. _John_ was under a delusion when he wrote these words, we must believe that even we also, shall receive the Holy Ghost, if we believe on the LORD JESUS with our whole hearts.

Again, our LORD, just before his bitter passion, when he was about to offer up his soul an offering for the sins of the elect world; when his heart was most enlarged, and he would undoubtedly demand the most excellent gift for his disciples, prays, “That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us, I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one;” that is, that all his true followers might be united to him by his holy Spirit, by as real, vital, and mystical an union, as there was between JESUS CHRIST and the Father. I say all his _true followers_; for it is evident, from our LORD’s own words, that he had us, and all believers, in view, when he put up this prayer; “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;” so that, unless we treat our LORD as the high priests did, and count him a blasphemer, we must confess, that all who believe in JESUS CHRIST, through the word, or ministration of his servants, are to be joined to JESUS CHRIST, by being made partakers of the Holy Spirit.

A great noise hath been made of late, about the word _enthusiast_, and it has been cast upon the preachers of the gospel, as a term of reproach; but every christian, in the proper sense of the word, must be an enthusiast; that is, must be inspired of GOD, or have GOD, by his Spirit, in him. St. _Peter_ tells us, “we have many great and precious promises, that we may be made partakers of the divine nature;” our LORD prays, “that we may be one, as the Father and he are one;” and our own church, in conformity to these texts of Scripture, in her excellent communion-office, tells us, that those who receive the sacrament worthily, “dwell in CHRIST, and CHRIST in them; that they are one with CHRIST, and CHRIST with them.” And yet, christians must have their names cast out as evil, and ministers in particular, must be looked upon as deceivers of the people, for affirming, that we must be really united to GOD, by receiving the Holy Ghost. Be astonished, O heavens, at this!

Indeed, I will not say, all our letter-learned preachers deny this doctrine in express words; but however, they do in effect; for they talk professedly against inward feelings, and say, we may have GOD’s Spirit without feeling it, which is in reality to deny the thing itself. And had I a mind to hinder the progress of the gospel, and to establish the kingdom of darkness, 1 would go about, telling people, they might have the Spirit of GOD, and yet not feel it.

But to return: When our LORD was about to ascend to his Father and our Father, to his GOD and our GOD, he gave his apostles this commission, “Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” And accordingly, by authority of this commission, we do teach and baptize in this, and every age of the church. And though we translate the words, “baptizing them in the _name_;” yet, as the name of GOD, in the LORD’s prayer, and several other places, signifies his nature, they might as well be translated thus, “baptizing them into the _nature_ of the Father, into the _nature_ of the Son, and into the _nature_ of the Holy Ghost.” Consequently, if we are all to be baptized into the nature of the Holy Ghost, before our baptism be effectual to salvation, it is evident, that we all must actually receive the Holy Ghost, and ere we can say, we truly believe in JESUS CHRIST. For no one can say, that JESUS is my LORD, but he that has thus received the Holy Ghost.

Numbers of other texts might be quoted to make this doctrine, if possible, still more plain; but I am astonished, that any who call themselves members; much more, that many, who are preachers in the church of _England_, should dare so much as to open their lips against it. And yet, with grief I speak it, GOD is my Judge, persons of the established church seem more generally to be ignorant of it, than any dissenters whatsoever.

But, my dear brethren, what have you been doing? how often have your hearts given your lips the lye? how often have you offered to GOD the sacrifice of fools, and had your prayers turned into sin, if you approve of, and use our church-liturgy, and yet deny the Holy Spirit to be the portion of all believers? In the daily absolution, the minister exhorts the people to pray, that “GOD would grant them repentance, and his Holy Spirit;” in the Collect for _Christmas-day_, we beseech GOD, “that he would daily renew us by his Holy Spirit;” in the last week’s Collect, we prayed that “we may evermore rejoice in the comforts of the Holy Ghost;” and in the concluding prayer, which we put up every day, we pray, not only that the grace of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, and the love of GOD, but that “the fellowship of the Holy Ghost” may be with us all evermore.

But farther, a solemn season, to some, is now approaching; I mean the _Ember-days_, at the end of which, all that are to be ordained to the office of a deacon, are in the sight of GOD, and in the presence of the congregation, to declare, that “they trust they are inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost, to take upon them that administration;” and to those, who are to be ordained priests, the bishop is to repeat these solemn words, “Receive thou the Holy Ghost, now committed unto thee, by the imposition of our hands.” And yet, O that I had no reason to speak it, many that use our forms, and many who have witnessed this good confession, yet dare to both talk and preach against the necessity of receiving the Holy Ghost now; and not only so, but cry out against those, who do insist upon it, as madmen, enthusiasts, schismatics, and underminers of the established constitution.

But you are the schismatics, you are the bane of the church of _England_, who are always crying out, “the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD;” and yet starve the people out of our communion, by feeding them only with the dry husks of dead morality, and not bringing out to them the fatted calf; I mean, the doctrines of the operations of the blessed Spirit of GOD. But here is the misfortune; many of us are not led by, and therefore no wonder that we cannot talk feelingly of, the Holy Ghost; we subscribe to our articles, and make them serve for a key to get into church-preferment, and then preach contrary to those very articles to which we have subscribed. Far be it from me, to charge all the clergy with this hateful hypocrisy; no, blessed be GOD, there are some left among us, who dare maintain the doctrines of the Reformation, and preach the truth as it is in JESUS: But I speak the truth in CHRIST, I lye not; the generality of the clergy are fallen from our articles, and do not speak agreeable to them, or to the form of sound words delivered in the Scriptures; wo be unto such blind leaders of the blind! how can you escape the damnation of hell? It is not all your learning (falsely so called) it is not all your preferments can keep you from the just judgment of GOD. Yet a little while, and we shall all appear before the tribunal of CHRIST; there, there will I meet you; there JESUS CHRIST, the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls, shall determine who are the false prophets, who are the wolves in sheep’s cloathing. Those who say, that we must now receive and feel the Holy Ghost, or those who exclaim against it, as the doctrine of devils.

But I can no more; it is an unpleasing task to censure any order of men, especially those who are in the ministry; nor would any thing excuse it but necessity: that necessity which extorted from our LORD himself so many woes against the Scribes and Pharisees, the letter-learned rulers and teachers of the _Jewish_ church; and surely, if I could bear to see people perish for lack of knowledge, and yet be silent towards those who keep from them the key of true knowledge, the very stones would cry out.

Would we restore the church to its primitive dignity, the only way is to live and preach the doctrine of CHRIST, and the articles to which we have subscribed; then we shall find the number of dissenters will daily decrease, and the church of _England_ become the joy of the whole earth.

I am, in the _Third_ place, to shew the reasonableness of this doctrine.

I say, the reasonableness of this doctrine; for however it may seem foolishness to the natural man, yet to those, who have tasted of the good word of life, and have felt the power of the world to come, it will appear to be founded on the highest reason; and is capable, to those who have eyes to see, even of a demonstration; I say of demonstration: for it stands on this self-evident truth, that we are fallen creatures, or, to use the scripture-expression, “have all died in _Adam_.”

I know indeed, it is now no uncommon thing amongst us, to deny the doctrine of original sin, as well as the divinity of JESUS CHRIST; but it is incumbent on those who deny it, first to disprove the authority of the holy Scriptures; if thou canst prove, thou unbeliever, that the book, which we call _The Bible_, does not contain the lively oracles of GOD; if thou canst shew, that holy men of old, did not write this book, as they were inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost, then will we give up the doctrine of original sin; but unless thou canst do this, we must insist upon it, that we are all conceived and born in sin; if for no other, yet for this one reason, because that GOD, who cannot lye, has told us so.

But what has light to do with darkness, or polite infidels with the Bible? Alas! as they are strangers to the power, so they are generally as great strangers to the word of GOD. And therefore, if we will preach to them, we must preach to and from the heart: for talking in the language of scripture, to them, is but like talking in an unknown tongue. Tell me then, O man, whosoever thou art, that deniest the doctrine of original sin, if thy conscience be not seared as with a hot iron! tell me, if thou dost not find thyself, by nature, to be a motly mixture of brute and devil? I know these terms will stir up the whole Pharisee in thy heart; but let not Satan hurry thee hence; stop a little, and let us reason together; dost thou not find, that by nature thou art prone to pride? otherwise, wherefore art thou now offended? Again, dost not thou find in thyself the seeds of malice, revenge, and all uncharitableness? and what are these but the very tempers of the devil? Again, do we not all by nature follow, and suffer ourselves to be led by our natural appetites, always looking downwards, never looking upwards to that GOD, in whom we live, move, and have our being? and what is this but the very nature of the beasts that perish? Out of thy own heart, therefore, will I oblige thee to confess, what an inspired apostle has long since told us, that “the whole world (by nature) lies in the wicked one;” we are no better than those whom St. _Jude_ calls “brute beasts;” for we have tempers in us all by nature, that prove to a demonstration, that we are earthly, sensual, devilish.

And this will serve as another argument, to prove the reality of the operations of the blessed Spirit on the hearts of believers, against those false professors, who deny there is any such thing as influences of the Holy Spirit, that may be felt. For if they will grant that the devil worketh, and so as to be felt in the hearts of the children of disobedience (which they must grant, unless they will give an apostle the lye) where is the wonder that the good Spirit should have the same power over those who are truly obedient to the faith of JESUS CHRIST?

If it be true then, that we are all by nature, since the fall, a mixture of brute and devil, it is evident, that we all must receive the Holy Ghost, ere we can dwell with and enjoy GOD.

When you read, how the prodigal, in the gospel, was reduced to so low a condition, as to eat husks with swine, and how _Nebuchadnezzar_ was turned out, to graze with oxen; I am confident, you pity their unhappy state. And when you hear, how JESUS CHRIST will say, at the last day, to all that are not born again of GOD, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels,” do not your hearts shrink within you, with a secret horror? And if creatures, with only our degree of goodness, cannot bear even the thoughts of dwelling with beasts or devils, to whose nature we are so nearly allied, how do we imagine GOD, who is infinite goodness, and purity itself, can dwell with us, while we are partakers of both their natures? we might as well think to reconcile heaven and hell.

When _Adam_ had eaten the forbidden fruit, he fled and hid himself from GOD; why? because he was naked; he was alienated from the life of GOD, the due punishment of his disobedience. Now, we are all by nature naked and void of GOD, as he was at that time, and consequently, until we are changed, renewed, and cloathed with a divine nature again, we must fly from GOD also.

Hence then appears the reasonableness of our being obliged to receive the Spirit of GOD. It is founded on the doctrine of original sin: and, therefore, you will always find, that those who talk against feeling the operations of the Holy Ghost, very rarely, or slightly at least, mention our fall in _Adam_; no, they refer St. _Paul_’s account of the depravity of unbelievers, only to those of old time. Whereas it is obvious, on the contrary, that we are all equally included under the guilt and consequences of our first parent’s sin, even as others; and to use the language of our own church-article, “bring into the world with us, a corruption, which renders us liable to GOD’s wrath, and eternal damnation.”

Should I preach to you any other doctrine, I should wrong my own soul; I should be found a false witness towards GOD and you; and he that preaches any other doctrine, howsoever dignified and distinguished, shall bear his punishment, whosoever he be.

From this plain reason then appears the necessity why we, as well as the first apostles, in this sense, must receive the Spirit of GOD.

For the great work of sanctification, or making us holy, is particularly referred to the Holy Ghost; therefore, our LORD says, “Unless a man be born of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of GOD.”

JESUS CHRIST came down to save us, not only from the guilt, but also from the power of sin: and however often we have repeated our creed, and told GOD we believe in the Holy Ghost, yet, if we have not believed in him, so as to be really united to JESUS CHRIST by him, we have no more concord with JESUS CHRIST than _Belial_ himself.

And now, my brethren, what shall I say more? tell me, are not many of you offended at what has been said already? do not some of you think, though I mean well, yet I have carried the point a little too far? are not others ready to cry out, if this be true, who then can be saved? is not this driving people into despair?

Yes, I ingenuously confess it is; but into what despair? a despair of mercy through CHRIST? no, GOD forbid; but a despair of living with GOD without receiving the Holy Ghost. And I would to GOD, that not only all you that hear me this day, but that the whole world was filled with this despair. Believe me, I have been doing no more than you allow your bodily physicians to do every day: if you have a wound, and are in earnest about a cure, you bid the surgeon probe it to the very bottom; and shall not the physician of your souls be allowed the same freedom? What have I been doing but searching your natural wounds, that I might convince you of your danger, and put you upon applying to JESUS CHRIST for a remedy? Indeed I have dealt with you as gently as I could; and now I have wounded, I will attempt to heal you. For I was in the

_Last_ place, to exhort you all to come to JESUS CHRIST by faith, whereby you, even you also, shall receive the Holy Ghost. “For this spake he of the Spirit, which they that _believe_ on him should receive.”

This, this is what I long to come to. Hitherto I have been preaching only the law; but behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy. If I have wounded you, be not afraid; behold, I now bring a remedy for all your wounds. Notwithstanding you are sunk into the nature of the beast and devil, yet, if you truly believe on JESUS CHRIST, you shall receive the quickening Spirit promised in the text, and be restored to the glorious liberties of the sons of GOD; I say, if you believe on JESUS CHRIST. “For by faith we are saved; it is not of works, lest any one should boast.” And, however some men may say, there is a fitness required in the creature, and that we must have a righteousness of our own, before we can lay hold on the righteousness of CHRIST; yet, if we believe the scripture, salvation is the free gift of GOD, in CHRIST JESUS our LORD; and whosoever believeth on him with his whole heart, though his soul be as black as hell itself, shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Behold then, I stand up, and cry out in this great day of the feast, let every one that thirsteth come unto JESUS CHRIST and drink. “He that believeth on him, out of his belly shall flow (not only streams or rivulets, but whole) rivers of living water.” This I speak of the Spirit, which they that believe on JESUS shall certainly receive. For JESUS CHRIST is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; he is the way, the truth, the resurrection, and the life; “whosoever believeth on him, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” There is no respect of persons with JESUS CHRIST; high and low, rich and poor, one with another, may come to him with an humble confidence, if they draw near by faith; from him we may all receive grace upon grace; for JESUS CHRIST is full of grace and truth, and ready to save to the uttermost, all that by a true faith turn unto him. Indeed, the poor generally receive the gospel, and “GOD has chosen the poor in this world, rich in faith.” But though not many mighty, not many noble are called; and though it be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of GOD, yet, even to you that are rich, do I now freely offer salvation, by JESUS CHRIST, if you will renounce yourselves, and come to JESUS CHRIST as poor sinners; I say, as poor sinners; for the “poor in spirit” are only so blessed, as to have a right to the kingdom of GOD. And JESUS CHRIST calls none to him, but those who thirst after his righteousness, and feel themselves weary, and heavy laden with the burden of their sins. JESUS CHRIST justifies the ungodly; he came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Do not then say you are unworthy; for this is a faithful and true saying, and worthy of all men to be received, “that JESUS CHRIST came into the world to save sinners;” and if you are the chief of sinners, if you feel yourselves such, verily JESUS CHRIST came into the world chiefly to save you. When _Joseph_ was called out of the prison-house to ♦_Pharaoh_’s court, we are told, that he staid some time to prepare himself; but do you come with all your prison cloaths about you; come poor, and miserable, and blind, and naked, as you are, and GOD the Father shall receive you with open arms, as was the returning prodigal. He shall cover your nakedness with the best robe of his dear Son’s righteousness, shall seal you with the signet of his Spirit, and feed you with the fatted calf, even with the comforts of the Holy Ghost. O, let there then be joy in heaven over some of you, as believing; let me not go back to my Master, and say, LORD, they will not believe my report. Harden no longer your hearts, but open them wide, and let the King of glory enter in; believe me, I am willing to go to prison or death for you; but I am not willing to go to heaven without you. The love of JESUS CHRIST constrains me to lift up my voice like a trumpet. My heart is now full; out of the abundance of the love which I have for your precious and immortal souls, my mouth now speaketh; and I could now not only continue my discourse until midnight, but I could speak until I could speak no more. And why should I despair of any? no, I can despair of no one, when I consider JESUS CHRIST has had mercy on such a wretch as I am; but the free grace of CHRIST prevented me; he saw me in my blood, he passed by me, and said unto me, Live; and the same grace which was sufficient for me, is sufficient for you also; behold, the same blessed Spirit is ready to breathe on all your dry bones, if you will believe on JESUS CHRIST, whom GOD has sent; indeed, you can never believe on, or serve a better master, one that is more mighty, or more willing to save; I can say, the LORD CHRIST is gracious, his yoke is easy, his burden exceeding light; after you have served him many years, like the servants under the law, was he willing to discharge you, you would say, we love our Master, and will not go from him. Come then, my guilty brethren, come and believe on the LORD that bought you with his precious blood; look up by faith, and see him whom you have pierced; behold him bleeding, panting, dying! behold him with arms stretched out ready to receive you all; cry unto him as the penitent thief did, LORD, remember us now thou art in thy kingdom, and he shall say to your souls, shortly shall you be with me in paradise. For those whom CHRIST justifies, them he also glorifies, even with that glory which he enjoyed with the Father, before the world began. Do not say, I have bought a piece of ground, and must needs go see it; or I have bought a yoke of oxen, and must needs go prove them; or I have married a wife, I am engaged in an eager pursuit after the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, and therefore cannot come. Do not fear having your name cast out as evil, or being accounted a fool for CHRIST’s sake; yet a little while, and you shall shine like the stars in the firmament for ever. Only believe, and JESUS CHRIST shall be to you wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and eternal redemption; your bodies shall be fashioned like unto his glorious body, and your souls be partakers of all the fulness of GOD.

♦ “Pharoah” replaced with “Pharaoh”

Which GOD of his infinite mercy, &c.

SERMON XXXIX.

The Resurrection of _Lazarus_.

JOHN xi. 43, 44.

_And when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus
come forth. And he that was dead, came forth, bound hand and
foot with grave-cloaths: and his face was bound about with a
napkin. JESUS saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go._

WHEN JESUS CHRIST, the eternal Word, was pleased to make all things by the word of his power, his last works were the best. When he looked back upon, and beheld the first products of his almighty power, he pronounced them “good;” but when that last, that lovely creature man, was formed, he pronounced them “very good.” So, the same JESUS, when he came to tabernacle among us, and to begin and carry on a new and second creation, though all his works were miracles of wonder, and manifested forth the glory of his eternal Godhead, yet the nearer he came to the end of his public ministrations, the greater and more noble did the miracles which he wrought appear. The resurrection of _Lazarus_, that is to be the subject of the following discourse, I think, is a sufficient proof of this. To an eye of sense, it seems to be one of the greatest, if not the very greatest miracle of all which our blessed Lord performed. When our Saviour bid _John_’s disciples go and tell their Master what things they had seen and heard, he commands them to inform him, that by his divine power “the dead were raised;” alluding no doubt to the Ruler’s daughter, who was raised immediately after her decease; and the Widow’s son, who at the command of JESUS, rose out of his coffin, as they were carrying his corpse to the burial. These were pregnant proofs, that JESUS was indeed the Messiah that was to come into the world. But his raising of _Lazarus_ from the dead, after he had lain four days dead, and saw corruption, is still, if possible, a greater miracle; and consequently a stronger proof of his being the Anointed, the CHRIST of GOD. The evangelist _John_ is very particular in giving us an account of this miracle; even so particular, as to spend a whole chapter in relating the circumstances which preceded, attended, and followed after it. And as he was undoubtedly directed herein by the all-wise, unerring Spirit of GOD, does it not point out unto us, that this miracle, with all its respective circumstances, calls for our particular and most serious meditation? It appears to me in this light; and therefore, as the LORD shall be pleased to assist, I shall go back to the beginning of this chapter, follow the evangelist step by step, and consider the particulars of this wonderous miracle, make some practical observations as I go along, and conclude with some suitable instructions and exhortations, which will naturally arise from the body of the discourse.

The evangelist in the first verse, makes mention of the sickness of _Lazarus_. “Now, a certain man mas sick, named _Lazarus_ of _Bethany_, the town of _Mary_, and her sister _Martha_.” Some think these sisters were very wealthy, so as to own good part of the town, or, as the original word seems to imply, the village. But then it is probable the evangelist would have said the town of _Lazarus_, estates usually descending, as with us, in the male line: it means therefore no more, than that _Martha_ and _Mary_ lived in _Bethany_. The Holy Ghost pointing out to us hereby, that nothing makes a town so worthy of a gracious soul’s remark or esteem, as its having many of GOD’s dear children for its inhabitants. _Bethany_, though a little place, is more famous because it was the town of _Martha_ and _Mary_, than if _Alexander_ had fought in it one of his greatest battles. Both these women loved JESUS in sincerity, and were as good as they were great. But _Mary_, though the younger sister, seems to be the most eminent: for the evangelist in the second verse, speaks of her in a very distinguishing manner. “It was that _Mary_, (that never-to-be-forgotten _Mary_) which anointed the Lord with ointment (expensive as it was) and wiped his feet, (after she had washed them with tears of love) with her hair,” even the hair of her head. What notice is taken of this action! With what an eulogy, and in what a high strain of commendation is it here spoken of? And such are the honours of all GOD’s saints. Though all our good works are not recorded as _Mary_’s are, yet GOD is not unmindful, that he should forget our works of faith, and labours which have proceeded of love. Every tear we shed, every sigh we fetch, every alms we give, though it be only a cup of cold water, are all recorded in the Lamb’s book of remembrance, and shall be produced to our eternal honour, and rewarded with a reward of grace, though not of debt, at the great and terrible day of the LORD. “I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink, naked, and ye cloathed me, sick and in prison, and ye came unto me.” What reason have we then to be “stedfast and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the LORD, forasmuch as we are assured, that our labours will not be in vain or forgotten by the LORD?” It was that _Mary_ that anointed the LORD with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair. And what follows? “Whose brother _Lazarus_ was sick.” So that being related to CHRIST, or his disciples, will not exempt persons from sickness. In this life, time and chance happen to all, only with this material difference, those afflictions which harden the obstinately impenitent, soften and purify the heart of a true believer. “My son, therefore despise not the chastening of the LORD (on one hand), nor faint when thou art rebuked of him (on the other): for whom the LORD loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”

JESUS loved _Lazarus_, and yet _Lazarus_ was sick. And what do his sisters do for him now he is sick? No doubt they applied to a physician, for it is tempting GOD to neglect making use of means for the recovery of our health, when it is impaired. But then they were not guilty of _Asa_’s crime, “who sought to the physicians, but not to the LORD.” No; they knew the most skilful prescriptions would be of no effect, unless attended with a blessing from JESUS the Great and Almighty Physician; and therefore his sisters sent unto him, probably at the beginning of their brother’s illness. How unlike is their conduct, to that of the generality of people, especially the rich and great! How unfashionable is it now-a-days for persons to send to JESUS in behalf of their sick relations! It is so very uncustomary, that in some places, if a minister be sent for to a sick person, it is a sad symptom that the patient is almost past hopes of recovery. Thus did not _Martha_ and her sister _Mary_; they sent unto JESUS, though he was now beyond _Jordan_, (chapter x. 40.) where he abode, or chiefly resided, for some time. Hence it was that they knew where to send to him. But what kind of message did they send? A very humble and suitable one. “LORD, Behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.” They might have said, LORD, he who loveth thee is sick. But they knew, that our love was not worth mentioning, and that we love JESUS only because he first loved us. Besides, here is no prescribing to our LORD what he should do, or what means he should make use of. They do not so much as say, We pray thee to come, or only speak the word, and our sick brother shall be restored. They simply tell JESUS the case, knowing it was sufficient barely to lay it before an infinitely compassionate Redeemer, and leave it to him to act according to his own sovereign good-will and pleasure. “LORD, Behold he whom thou lovest is sick.” Oh how sweet is it when the soul is brought to this! And with what a holy confidence may we pray to, and intercede with the holy JESUS, when we have reason to hope, that those we pray and intercede for, are lovers of, and are beloved of him! For his eyes are in a peculiar manner over the righteous, and his ears always open to their prayers. This was their message, and it soon reached JESUS CHRIST. And how does he receive it? We are told, verse 4. “When JESUS heard that, (that he whom he loved was sick) He said, this sickness is not unto death, but unto the glory of GOD, that the Son of GOD may be glorified thereby.” To whom these words were spoken is not certain. In all probability, JESUS spake them to the persons that delivered _Martha_’s and _Mary_’s message. And if so, it was no doubt a comfortable answer for the present, though it must afterwards puzzle them as well as the disciples how to explain it, when they found that _Lazarus_ was actually dead. “This sickness is not unto death,” not unto an abiding death, because he intended to raise him again, soon after his decease. It is like that expression of our LORD in St. _Mark_, “The damsel is not dead, but sleepeth;” which must not be understood in a literal, but metaphorical sense. And this and such-like instances, ought to teach us to weigh carefully our blessed LORD’s words, and to wait for an explication of them, by subsequent providences; otherwise we shall be in danger of misapplying them, and thereby bring our souls into unspeakable bondage. “This sickness is not unto death, but unto the glory of GOD, that the Son of GOD may be glorified thereby.” This is the end both of the afflictions and the deaths of GOD’s people. By all that happens to them he will be glorified one way or another, and cause every thing to work together for their good. And who then but would be content to be sick, or willing to submit to death itself, if so be the Son of GOD may be glorified thereby? This answer, no doubt, proceeded from love. For we are told,

Verse 5. that “JESUS loved _Martha_ and her sister, and _Lazarus_.” Oh happy family! Three in it beloved of JESUS, with a peculiar, everlasting love. “Very often it so happens, (to use the words of the pious Bishop _Beveridge_) that there is but one in a city, and two in a country of this stamp.” But here are two sisters and a brother, all lovers of, and beloved by the glorious JESUS. What shall we say to these things? Why, that our Saviour’s grace is free and sovereign, and he may do what he will with his own. They who are thus so highly favoured as to have so many converted in one house, ought to be doubly thankful! Such a blessing have not all his saints. No; many, very many, go mourning over their perverse and graceless relations all their lives long; and find, even to their dying day, that their greatest foes are those of their own houshold. Surely these three relations lived a heaven upon earth. For what can they want, what could make them miserable, who are assured of JESU’s love? But surely if JESUS loves this dear little family, the next news one might think we should hear, would be, that he went immediately and healed _Lazarus_; or at least cured him at a distance. But instead of that, we are told, verse 6. “When he had heard that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.” A strange way this, in the eye of natural reason, of expressing love; but not so strange in the eye of faith: for the LORD JESUS very often sheweth his love, by deferring to give immediate answers to our prayers. Hereby he tries our faith and patience, and exercises all our passive graces. We have a proof of this in the _Syrophenician_ woman, upon whom the blessed JESUS frowned, and spake roughly to at first, only that he might afterwards turn unto her and say, “O woman, great is thy faith.” Let not those then who believe, make too much haste; or immediately in their hearts repine against the LORD, because he may not answer their requests, in their own time and way. GOD’s time and way is best. And we shall find it to be so in the end. _Martha_ and _Mary_ experienced the truth of this, though undoubtedly our LORD’s seeming delay, to come and heal their brother, cost them great searchings of heart. But will the LORD JESUS forget his dear _Lazarus_, whom his soul loveth? “Can a woman forget her sucking child?” Indeed she may; but the LORD never faileth those that fear him. Neither is he slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness: for his very delays are answers. The vision is for an appointed time; in the end it will speak and not lie.