“Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in
whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall shew
judgement to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man
hear his voice in the streets,” etc. Matthew 12:18.
The
words are the accomplishment of a prophecy, taken out of Isaiah 52:1,2, as we
may see by the former verse, “that it might be fulfilled.” Now the occasion of
bringing them in here in this verse, it is a charge that Christ gives, verse
16, that they should not reveal and make him known because of the miracles he
did. He withdraws himself; he was desirous to be concealed, he would not allow
himself to be seen over much, for he knew the rebellious disposition of the
Jews, who were eager to change their government, and to make him king.
Therefore, he laboured to conceal himself in various ways. Now, upon this
injunction, that they should tell nobody, he brings in the prophet Isaiah
prophesying of him, “Behold my servant, etc.; he shall not strive nor cry,
neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.” Other kings labour that
their pomp and magnificence may be seen; but he does not desire ostentation (affectation or brazenness, ed.), he
shall not be contentious nor clamorous. For these three things are meant when
he says, “he shall not strive, nor cry, neither shall his voice be heard in the
streets;” he shall not yield himself to any ostentation, for he came in an
abased (lowered, ed.) state to work our
salvation; he shall not be contentious, nor yet clamorous in matter of wrong;
there shall be no boasting any kind of way, as we shall see when we come to the
words. You see, then, the inference here.
The
purpose of the prophet Isaiah is to comfort the people, and to direct them how
to come to worship the true God, after he had preached against their idolatry,
as we see in the former chapter, “Behold my servant,” etc. Great princes have
their ambassadors, and the great God of heaven has his Son, his servant in whom
he delights, through whom, and by whom, all dealings between God and man are.
As
is usual in the prophecies, especially of Isaiah, that evangelical prophet,
when he foretells anything to comfort the people in the promise of temporal
things, he rises to establish their faith in better things. He does this by
adding to them a prophecy, a promise of Christ the Messiah, to assert thus
much: I will send you the Messiah, and that is a greater gift than this that I
have promised you; therefore you may be sure of the lesser one. As the apostle
reasons excellently, “If he spared not his own son, but delivered him to death
for us all, how shall he not with him give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32). So
here, I have promised you deliverance out of
There
is another purpose, why in other promises there is mention of the promise of
the Messiah: to uphold their faith. Alas! we are unworthy of these promises, we
are so laden with sin and iniquity. It is no matter, I will send you the
Messiah. “Behold my servant in whom my soul delighteth,” and for his sake I
will delight in you. I am well pleased with you, because I am well pleased in
him; therefore, be not discouraged. All the promises are yea and amen in Jesus
Christ,” (2 Cor. 1:20); for all the promises that be, though they be for the
things of this life, they are made for Christ, they are yea in him, and they
are performed for his sake, they are amen in him. So much for the occasion of
the quotation in the evangelist St Matthew, and likewise in the prophet Isaiah.
To
come more directly to the words, “Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my
beloved in whom my soul is well pleased,” etc.
In
the words you have a description of Christ, and his nearness to God: Behold my
servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased.” And
then his calling and attainments: “I will put my Spirit upon him.” And the
execution of that calling: “He shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.” Then the
quiet and peaceable manner of the execution of his calling: “He shall not
strive nor cry, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets,” etc.
Behold!—This
word is as it were a lighted beacon. In all the evangelists you have this word
often repeated, and the prophets likewise when they speak of Christ; there is
no almost prophecy but there is this word, “Behold.”
Why?
The use of it in the prophet, especially out of which these words are taken,
was to present Christ to the hearts of the people of God at that time;
therefore he says, “Behold,” for Christ was present to the believers then.
Christ did profit them before he was, he did good before he was exhibited,
because he was “the Lamb of God slain from the beginning of the world,” (Rev.
13:8); he was yesterday as well as today, and tomorrow as well as today, “yesterday,
today, and the same for over,” (Heb. 13:8). He was present to their faith,
present to them in types and sacrifices, and present in God’s acceptation of
him for them. Therefore, the prophets mount up with the wing of prophecy, and
seeing the certainty of the things to come, they speak as if they were present,
as if they had looked on Christ before them, “Behold my servant,” and “Behold a
virgin,” etc.
But
that is not all. Another purpose of this word “behold,” was to call the people’s
minds from their miseries, and from other abasing objects that dejected them,
which might force them to despair. Why do you dwell upon your unworthiness and
sin? Raise up your mind, “Behold my servant whom I have chosen,” etc. This is
an object worth beholding and admiring, especially by a distressed soul that
may see in Christ whatsoever may comfort it.
A
third purpose of it is to raise the mind from any vulgar, common, base
contentments. You look on these things, and are carried away with common
trivial objects, as the poor disciples when they came to the temple; they stood
wondering at the stones. What wondrous stones! What a great building is here!
(Mark 13:1) So shallow-minded men, when they see any earthly excellency, they
stand gazing. Alas, says Christ, do you wonder at these things? In the same way
the prophet here raises up the minds of men to look on an object fit to be
looked on, “Behold my servant,” etc. He intends that the Holy Ghost would have
them from this saving object, Christ, to receive satisfaction to their souls in
every way. Are you dejected? Here is comfort. Are you sinful? Here is
righteousness. Are you led away with present contentments? Here you have
honours, and pleasures, and all in Christ Jesus. You have a right to common
pleasures that others have, and besides them you have claim to others that are
everlasting pleasures that shall never fail, so that there is nothing that is
dejecting and abasing in man, but there is comfort for it in Christ Jesus; he
is a salve for every sore, a remedy for every malady; therefore, “Behold my
servant.”
My
servant.—Christ is called a servant, first, in respect of his creation, because
being a man, as a creature he was a servant. But that is not all.
He
was a servant in respect of his condition. Servant implies a base and low
condition, (Phil. 2:7). Christ took upon him the form of a servant; he emptied
himself; he was the lowest of all servants in condition: for none was ever so
abased as our glorious Saviour.
And
then, it is a name of office, as well as of base condition. There are ordinary
servants and extraordinary, as great kings have their servants of state.
Despite his abasement, Christ was a servant of state, he was an ambassador sent
from the great God; a prophet, a priest, and a king, as we shall see afterwards;
an extraordinary servant, to do a work of service that all the angels in
heaven, and all the men on the earth joined together, could not perform. This
great masterpiece of service was to bring God and man together again, that were
at variance, as it is, (1 Pet. 3:18), “to bring us to God.” We were severed and
scattered from God. His office was to gather us together again, to bring us all
to one head again, to bring us to himself, and so to God, to reconcile us, as
the Scripture phrase is, (Col. 1:20). Now, it being the greatest work and
service that ever was, it required the greatest servant; for no creature in the
world could perform it. All the angels of heaven would have sunk under this
service. They could never have given satisfaction to divine justice; for the
angels themselves, when they sinned, could not recover themselves, but sunk
under their own sin eternally. Thus we see how Christ is God’s servant, who set
him apart, and chose him to this service.
And
then he was a servant to us; for the Son of man came to minister, not to be
ministered unto, (Matthew 20:28). He washed his disciples’ feet. He was a
servant to us, because he did our work and suffered our punishment; we made him
serve by our sins, as the prophet says, (Isa. 53:24). He is a servant that
bears another man’s burden. There was a double burden—of obedience active, and
obedience passive. He bore them both. He came under the law for us, both doing
what we should have done, and indeed far more acceptably, and suffering that we
should have suffered, and far more acceptably. He being our surety, being a
more excellent person, he did bear our burden, and did our work, therefore he
was God’s servant, and our servant; and God’s servant, because he was our
servant, because he came to do a work on our behalf.
Herein
appears the admirable love and care of God to us wretched creatures, here is
matter of wonderment.
Whence
comes it that Christ is a servant? It is from the wondrous love of God, and the
wondrous love of Christ. To be so abased, it was wondrous love in God to give
him to us to be so abased, and the wondrous misery we were in, that we could
not otherwise be freed from; for such was the pride of man, that he, being man,
would exalt himself to be like God. God became man, he became a servant to
expiate our pride in Adam, so that it is wondrous in the spring of it. There
was no such love as Christ’s to become a servant, there was no such misery as
we were in, out of which we were delivered by this abasement of Christ becoming
a servant; so it is wondrous in that regard, springing from the infinite love
and mercy of God, which is greater in the work of redemption and reconciliation
than in the creation of the world, for the distance between nothing and
something was less than the distance between sin and happiness. For nothing
adds no opposition; but to be in a sinful state there is opposition. Therefore
it was greater love and mercy for God, when we were sinful, and so obnoxious to
eternal destruction, to make us of sinners, not only men, but to make us happy,
to make us heirs of heaven out of a sinful and cursed estate, than to make us
of nothing something, to make us men in Adam, for there God prevailed over
nothing, but here his mercy triumphed over that which is opposite to God, over
sinfulness and cursedness. To show that the creature cannot be so low but there
is somewhat in God above the misery of the creature, his mercy shall triumph
over the basest estate where he will show mercy. Therefore there is mercy above
all mercy and love above all love, in that Christ was a servant.
Is
the Lord Christ a servant? This should teach us not to stand upon any terms. If
Christ had stood upon terms, if he had refused to take upon him the shape of a
servant, alas! Where had we and our salvation been? And yet wretched creatures,
we think ourselves too good to do God and our brethren any service. Christ
stood not upon his greatness, but, being equal with God, he became a servant.
Oh! we should dismount from the tower of our conceited excellency. The heart of
man is a proud creature, a proud piece of flesh. Men stand upon their distance.
What! Shall I stoop to him? I am thus and thus. We should descend from the
heaven of our conceit, and take upon us the form of servants, and abase
ourselves to do good to others, even to any, and account it an honour to do any
good to others in the places we are in. Christ did not think himself too good
to leave heaven, to conceal and veil his majesty under the veil of our flesh,
to work our redemption, to bring us out of the cursed estate we were in. Shall
we think ourselves too good for any service? Who for shame can be proud when he
thinks of this, that God was abased? Shall God be abased, and man proud? Shall
God become a servant, and shall we that are servants think much to serve our
fellow-servants? Let us learn this lesson, to abase ourselves; we cannot have a
better pattern to look unto than our blessed Saviour. A Christian is the
greatest freeman in the world; he is free from the wrath of God, free from hell
and damnation, from the curse of the law; but then, though he be free in these
respects, yet, in regard of love, he is the greatest servant. Love abases him
to do all the good he can; and the more the Spirit of Christ is in us, the more
it will abase us to anything wherein we can be serviceable.
Then,
again, here is comfort for us, that Christ, in whatsoever he did in our
redemption, is God’s servant. He is appointed by God to the work; so, both God
and Christ meet together in the work. Christ is a voluntary in it, for he
emptied himself, he took upon him the form of a servant, (Phil. 2:6), he came
from heaven voluntarily. And then withal the Father joins with him, the Father
appointed him and sent him, the Father laid him as the corner-stone, the Father
sealed him, as it is, (John 6:27), the Father set him out, as it is, (Rom. 3:25).
“He has set him out as the propitiatory.” Therefore, when we think of
reconciliation and redemption, and salvation wrought by Christ, let us comfort
ourselves in the solidity of the work, that it is a service perfectly done. It
was done by Christ, God-man. It is a service accepted of God, therefore God
cannot refuse the service of our salvation wrought by Christ. Christ was his
servant in the working of it. We may present it to God, it is the obedience of
thy servant, it is the satisfaction of thy servant. Here is that will give full
content and satisfaction to conscience, in this, that whatsoever Christ did, he
was God’s servant in it. But we shall better understand the intent of the Holy
Ghost when we have gone over the rest of the words, “Behold my servant whom I
have chosen.”
Christ
was chosen before all worlds to be the head of the elect. He was predestinated
and ordained by God. As we are ordained to salvation, so Christ is ordained to
be the head of all that shall be saved. He was chosen eternally, and chosen in
time. He was singled out to the work by God; and all others that are chosen are
chosen in him. There had been no choosing of men but in him; for God saw us so
defiled, lying in our filth, that he could not look upon us but in his Son. He
chose him, and us in him.
Here
is meant, not only choosing by eternal election to happiness, but a choosing to
office. There is a choosing to grace and glory, and a choosing to office. Here,
it is as well meant, a choosing to office, as to grace and glory. God, as he
chose Christ to grace and glory, so he chose him to the office of Mediatorship.
Christ did not choose himself; he was, no usurper. No man calls himself to the
office, as it is in Hebrews 5:4; but Christ was called and appointed of God. He
was willing, indeed, to the work, he took it voluntary upon him; but as
Mediator, God chose him, God the Father. If we respect eternal salvation, or
grace, or office, Christ was chosen in respect of his manhood; for, as it is
well observed by divines, Christ is the head of all that are predestinated; and
the human nature of Christ could not merit its choice, it could not merit its
incarnation, it could not merit union with the Godhead, it was merely from
grace. How could Christ’s manhood deserve anything of God before it was? Things
must have a subsistence before they can work: our blessed Saviour is the
pattern of all election, and his manhood could not merit to be knit to the
second person; as how could it, being a creature? Therefore the knitting of the
human nature of Christ to his divine, it is called the grace of union. The
choosing of the human nature of Christ to be so gracious and glorious, it was
of grace.
This
adds to our comfort, that whatsoever Christ did for us, he did it as chosen; he
is a chosen stone, as St Peter says, (1 Pet. 2:6), “a precious corner-stone;”
though refused of the builders, yet precious in God’s sight.
Was
Christ a chosen servant of God, and shall not we take God’s choice? Is not God’s
choice the best and the wisest? Has God chosen Christ to work our salvation,
and shall we choose any other? Shall we run to saints’ mediation, to the virgin
Mary, and others, for intercession, which is a part of Christ’s office? Who
chose Mary, and Peter, and Paul to this work? There is no mention in Scripture
of them for this purpose, but behold my servant, whom I have chosen.
God
in paradise did choose a wife for Adam, so God has chosen a husband for his
church; he has chosen Christ for us: therefore it is intolerable sacrilegious
rebellion and impudency to refuse a Saviour and Mediator of God’s choosing, and
to set up others of our own, as if we were wiser to choose for ourselves than
God is. We may content ourselves well enough with God’s choice, because he is
the party offended.
And
this directs us also, in our devotions to God, how to carry ourselves in our
prayers and services, to offer Christ to God. Behold, Lord, thy chosen servant,
that thou hast chosen to be my Mediator, my Saviour, my all in all to me, he is
a mediator and a Saviour of thine own choosing, thou canst not refuse thy own
choice; if thou look upon me, there is nothing but matter of unworthiness, but
look upon him whom thou hast chosen, my head and my Saviour!
Again,
if Christ be a chosen servant, O let us take heed how we neglect Christ. When
God has chosen him for us, shall not we think him worthy to be embraced and
regarded; shall we not kiss the Son with the kiss of love, and faith, and
subjection? He is a Saviour of God’s own choosing, refuse him not. What is the
reason that men refuse this chosen stone? They will not be laid low enough to
build upon this corner stone, this hidden stone. The excellency of Christ is
hidden, it appears not to men, men will not be squared to be built upon him.
Stones for a building must be framed, and made even, and flat. Men stick with
this and that lust, they will not be pared and cut and fitted for Christ. If
they may have their lusts and wicked lives, they will admit of Christ. But we
must make choice of him as a stone to build upon him; and to be built on him,
we must be made like him. We like not this laying low and abasing, therefore we
refuse this corner stone, though God has made him the corner of building to all
those that have the life of grace here, or shall have glory hereafter.
The
papists admit him to be a stone, but not the only stone to build on, but they
build upon him and saints, upon him and works, upon him and traditions. But he
is the only corner stone. God has chosen him only, and we must choose him only,
that we may be framed and laid upon him to make up one building. So much for
that, “Behold my servant whom I have chosen.”
My
Beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased. — How do we know that these words in
the prophet Isaiah are fitly appliable to Christ? By the greatest authority
that ever was from the beginning of the world, by the immediate voice of God
the Father from heaven, who applies these words in Isaiah to Christ, (Matthew
3:17), in his inauguration when he was baptized, “This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased,” this is that my Son, that beloved, agaphtoV the beloved Son, so beloved that my soul
delights in him, he is capable of my whole love, I may pour out my whole love
upon him. “In whom I am well pleased,” it is the same with that here,”in whom
my soul delighteth,” the one expresses the other.
How,
and in what respect is Christ thus beloved of God?
First
as he is God, the Son of God, the engraven image of his Father, so he is primum amabile, (the first and chief
of all amiable, ed.) the first
lovely thing that ever was. When the Father loves him, he loves himself in him,
so he loves him as God, as the second person, as his own image and character.
And
as man he loves him, for as man he was the most excellent creature in the
world, he was conceived, fashioned, and framed in his mother’s womb by the Holy
Ghost. It is said, (Heb. 10:5), God gave him a body. God the Father by the Holy
Ghost fashioned and framed and fitted him with a body, therefore God must needs
love his own workmanship.
Again,
there was nothing in him displeasing to God, there was no sin found in his life
any way, therefore as man he was well pleasing to God. He took the manhood and
ingrafted it into the second person, and enriched it there; therefore he must
needs love the manhood of Christ, being taken into so near a union with the
Godhead.
As
God and man mediator especially, he loves and delights in him. In regard of his
office, he must needs delight in his own ordinance and decree. Now he decreed
and sealed him to that office, therefore he loves and delights in him as a
mediator of his own appointing and ordaining, to be our king, and priest, and
prophet.
Again,
he loved and delighted in him, in regard of the execution of his office both in
doing and suffering. In doing, the evangelist says, “He did all things well,” (Mark
7:37). When he healed the sick, and raised the dead, and cured all diseases,
whatsoever he did was well done. And for his suffering, God delighted in him
for that, as it is in John 10:17, “My Father loves me, because I lay down my
life;” and so in Isaiah 53:12, “He shall divide him a portion with the great,
because he poured out his soul unto death;” and in Philippians 2:9, “Because he
abased himself to the death of the cross, God gave him a name above all names:”
therefore God loves and delights in him for his suffering and abasement.
Now,
that Christ’s sacrifice was so acceptable to God, there is a direct place for
it in Ephesians 5:2, “Walk in love, as Christ has loved us, and has given
himself an offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweet smell.” And indeed how many
sweet savours were there in the sacrifice of Christ offered on the cross! Was
there not the sweet savour of obedience? He was “obedient to the death of the
cross,” (Phil. 2:8). There was the sweet savour of patience, and of love to
mankind. Therefore God delighted in him, as God, as man, as mediator God-man,
in his doings, in his sufferings, every way.
Does
God delight thus in Christ, in his person, or considered mystically? I answer;
both. God loves and delights in Christ mystical, that is, in Christ and his
members, in whole Christ. “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,”
not only with whom alone by himself, but “in whom,” in him as God, in him in
body and soul, in him as head of the church, in him mystically, in all that are
under him any kind of way. God delights in him, and all his.
Is
it possible that he should delight in the head, and refuse the members? that he
should love the husband, and mislike the spouse? O no; with the same love that
God loves Christ, he loves all his. He delights in Christ and all his, with the
same delight. There is some difference in the degree, “that Christ in all
things may have the preeminence,” (Col. 1:18), but it is the same love;
therefore our Saviour sets it down excellently in his own prayer, he desires “that
the same love wherewith his Father loved him may be in them that are his,” (John
17:20), that they may feel the love wherewith his Father loves him, for he
loved him and his members, him and his spouse, with all one love.
This
is our comfort and our confidence, that God accepts us, because he accepts his
beloved; and when he shall cease to love Christ, he shall cease to love the
members of Christ. They and Christ make one mystical Christ. This is our
comfort in dejection for sin. We are so and so indeed, but Christ is the chosen
servant of God, “in whom he delighteth,” and delights in us in him. It is no
matter what we are in ourselves, but what we are in Christ when we are once in
him and continue in him. God loves us with that inseparable love wherewith he
loves his own Son. Therefore
And
here is a wondrous comfort, that God must needs love our salvation and
redemption when he loves Christ, because “he poured out his soul to death to
save us.” Does not God delight that we should be saved, and our sins should be
forgiven, when he loves Christ because he abased himself for that purpose? What
a prop and foundation of comfort is this, when the devil shall present God to
us in a terrible hideous manner, as an avenging God, “and consuming fire,” etc.,
(Heb. 12:29); indeed out of Christ he is so. Let us present to ourselves
thoughts of God as the Scripture sets forth God to us; and as God sets forth
himself, not only in that sweet relation as a Father to Christ, but our father,
“I go to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God,” (John 20:17),
having both one God, and love and care. There is none of us all but the devil
will have a saying to us, either in the time of our life, in some terrible
temptation, especially when any outward abasement comes, or at the hour of
death; and all the cordials we have gathered out of the word will then be
little enough to support the drooping soul, especially in the hour of
temptation. O beloved, what a wondrous anchor and satisfaction to a distressed
conscience does this yield, that Christ in all that he has wrought for us is
God’s chosen servant, “whom he loves and delights in,” and delights in him for
this very work, that he abased himself and gave himself for us, that he wrought
God’s work, because he wrought reconciliation for us! If we can believe in
Christ, we see here what ground of comfort we have, that God loves and delights
in us, as he does in his own Son.
And
what a comfort is it now, in our daily approach to God, to minister boldness to
us in all our suits, that we go to God in the name of one that he loves, “in
whom his soul delights,” that we have a friend in court, a friend in heaven for
us, that is at the right hand of God, and interposes himself there for us in
all our suits, that makes us acceptable, that perfumes our prayers and makes
them acceptable. His intercession is still by virtue of his service, dying for
us. He intercedes by virtue of his redemption. If God love him for the work of
redemption, he loves him for his intercession, therefore God must needs regard
the prayers made by him, by virtue of his dying for us, when he loves him for
dying for us. Be sure therefore, in all our suits to God, to take along our
older brother, to take our beloved brother, take Benjamin with us, offer all to
God in him, our persons to be accepted in him, our prayers our hearing, our
works, and all that we do, and we shall be sure to speed; for he is one in whom
the soul of God delights. There must be this passage and repassage, as God
looks upon us lovely in him, and delights in us as we are members of him. All
God’s love and the fruits of it come to us as we are in Christ, and are one
with him. Then in our passage to God again we must return all, and do all, to
God in Christ. Be sure not to go to a naked God; for so he is “a consuming
fire,” but go to him in the mediation of him whom he loves, “and in whom his
soul delighteth.”
And
shall God love him and delight in him, and shall not our soul delight in
Christ? This therefore should stir up our affections to Christ, to be faithful
in our conjugal affection as the spouse of Christ, to say, “My beloved is mine
and I am my beloved’s,” (Song of Sol. 2:16). Christ calls his church, “My love
and my dove,” (Song of Sol. 6:9). Does Christ delight in us, and God delight in
Christ, and shall not we delight in Christ that delights in us, and in whom God
delights? In 1 Corinthians 16:22, the apostle is bold to pronounce a bitter
curse, “Anathema Maranatha,” upon him that loves not the Lord Christ Jesus, a
most bitter curse. When Christ shall become a servant to do our work for us, to
suffer for us, to bear the burden of our sins upon the tree, to become our
husband, to bestow his riches upon us, to raise us to the same condition with
himself, and withal to be such, a one as God has chosen out to love and delight
in as the best object of his love, and most capable of it, and for us not to
solace and delight ourselves in him that God delights in, when God delights in
him for our sake. God loves and delights in him for the work of salvation and
redemption by his blood, and shall not we love and embrace him for his love
which is for our good? What good has God by it but only the glory of his mercy,
in saving our souls through Christ? Therefore if God love him for the good he
does to us, much more should we love him for the fruit of it that we receive
ourselves.
It
should shame us therefore when we find dulness and coldness upon us, that we
can hear of anything better than of Christ; and arguments concerning Christ are
cold to us. Alas! Where is our love, and joy, and delight; and when we can make
no better but a carnal use of the incarnation and other benefits by Christ? We
should therefore desire God to shed the love of Christ into our hearts more and
more, that we may feel in our souls the love that he bears to us, and may love
God and Christ again, for that that he has
done for us.
Hence
we have also a ground of estimation of Christians to be excellent persons. Does
God value poor sinful souls so much as to give Christ for them to become a
Saviour? Does he delight in Christ for giving himself for them? And shall not we
love one another whom God and Christ so loves?
But
if God love and delight in those that are in Christ, with the same love and
delight that he has in him, how shall I know that I am in Christ, and that God
thus delights in me?
Briefly,
a man may know that he is in Christ, if he find the Spirit of Christ in him;
for the same Spirit when Christ took our nature, that sanctified that blessed
mass whereof he was made, when there was a union between him and the second
person, the same Spirit sanctifies our souls and bodies. There is one Spirit in
the head and in the members. Therefore if we find the Spirit of Christ in us,
we are in Christ and he in us. Now this Spirit is renewing, “Whosoever is in
Christ is a new creature,” (2 Cor. 5:17); all is new, “old things are done
away,” the old manner of language, the old disposition, old affections, old
company, all old things are past, all is new; and if a man be a new creature,
he has right and title to “the new heaven and new earth,” (2 Pet. 3:13). Let us
examine the work of grace in us. If there be no change in us we have no present
interest in Christ. We have to do with him because he is still wooing us to be
in him, but as yet we have no title to him.
The
very beholding of Christ is a transforming sight. The Spirit that makes us new
creatures, and stirs us up to behold this servant, it is a transforming
beholding. If we look upon him with the eye of faith, it will make us like
Christ; for the gospel is a mirror, and such a mirror, that when we look into
it, and see ourselves interested in it, we are changed from glory to glory, (2
Cor. 3:18). A man cannot look upon the love of God and of Christ in the gospel,
but it will change him to be like God and Christ. For how can we see Christ,
and God in Christ, but we shall see how God hates sin, and this will transform
us to hate it as God does, who hated it so that it could not be expiated but
with the blood of Christ, God-man. So, seeing the holiness of God in it, it
will transform us to be holy. When we see the love of God in the gospel, and
the love of Christ giving himself for us, this will transform us to love God.
When we see the humility and obedience of Christ, when we look on Christ as God’s
chosen servant in all this, and as our surety and head, it transforms us to the
like humility and obedience. Those that find not their dispositions in some
comfortable measure wrought to this blessed transformation, they have not yet
those eyes that the Holy Ghost requires here. “Behold my servant whom I have
chosen; my beloved in whom my soul delighteth.”
I
will put my Spirit upon him. —Now we come to the qualification of Christ for
his calling, in these words, I will put my Spirit upon him—that is, I will
cloth him with my Spirit, I will put it, as it were, upon him as a garment.
Now
there were divers degrees of Christ’s receiving the Spirit at several times.
For he was conceived by the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost did sanctify that
blessed mass whereof his body was framed in the womb of the virgin, he was
quickened in the womb in his conception by the Holy Ghost, and he was graced by
the Holy Ghost, and led by the Spirit in all things before his baptism. But
afterward, when he came to set upon his office, to be the prophet and priest
and king of his church, that great office of saving mankind, which he did not
solmnly set upon till he was thirty years old, then God poured upon him a
special portion of the Spirit, answerable to that great calling, then the
Spirit lighted upon him, (Matthew 3:16). Christ was ordained to his office by the
greatest authority that ever any was ordained from the beginning of the world.
For at his baptism, when he was ordained and set apart to his office, there was
the Father from heaven uttered an audible voice, “This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased,” (Matthew 3:17); and there was Christ, the party
baptized and installed into that great office; then there was the Holy Ghost,
in the form and shape of a dove. It being a matter of the greatest consequence
that ever was in the world, greater than the creation, it was fit it should be
done with the greatest authority; and so it was, the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost being present at the admission of Christ into his office. This is
especially here intended, though the other be included, I will put my Spirit
upon him that is, I will anoint him, as it is in Isaiah 61:1, “The Spirit of
the Lord is upon me,” says Christ, “because the Lord has anointed me to preach
good tidings to the meek, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to
the captives, to open the prison for them that are bound, to proclaim the
acceptable year of the Lord”—that is, the year of jubilee, for that was a type
of Christ, to preach the gospel deliverance to all that are in captivity,
servitude, and thraldom (slavery,
ed.) under Satan and sin. This was accomplished when Christ, at his baptism,
entered upon his office. God put his Spirit upon him, to set him apart, to
ordain him, and to equip him with abundance of grace for the work; for there
are these three things especially meant by putting the Spirit upon him,
separation or setting apart, and ordaining, and enriching with the gifts of the
Spirit.
When
any one is called to a great place, there is a setting apart from others, and
an ordaining to that particular, and an equipping. If it be a calling of God,
he equips where he ordains always.
It
may be objected, Christ was God himself; he had the Spirit, and gives the
Spirit; therefore, how could the Spirit be put upon him?
I
answer, Christ is both God and man. Christ, as God, gives the Spirit to his
human nature; so he communicates his Spirit. The Spirit is his Spirit as well
as the Father’s. The Spirit proceeds from them both. Christ, as man, receives
the Spirit. God the Father and the Son put the Spirit upon the manhood of
Christ; so Christ both gives and receives the Spirit in diverse respects. As
God, he gives and sends the Spirit. The spiration and breathing of the Spirit
is from him as well as from the Father, but as man he received the Spirit.
And
this is the reason of it: next under the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Christ
the Mediator, was to be the spring and original of all comfort and good.
Therefore, Christ’s nature must not only be sanctified and ordained by the
Spirit; but he must receive the Spirit to enrich it, for whatsoever is wrought
in the creature is by the Spirit. Whatsoever Christ did as man, he did by the
Spirit. Christ’s human nature, therefore, must be sanctified, and have the
Spirit put upon it. God the Father, the first person in Trinity, and God the
Son, the second, they work not immediately, but by the Holy Ghost, the third
person. Therefore, whatsoever is wrought upon the creature, it comes from the
Holy Ghost immediately. So Christ received the Holy Ghost as sent from the
Father and the Son. Now as the Holy Spirit is from the Father and the Son, so
he works from the Father and the Son. He sanctifies and purifieth, and does all
from the Father and the Son, and knits us to the Father and the Son; to the Son
first, and then to the Father. Therefore it is said, “The grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Ghost,”
(2 Cor. 13:14); because all the communion we have with God is by the Holy
Ghost. All the communion that Christ as man had with God was by the Holy Ghost;
and all the communion that God has with us, and we with God, is by the Holy
Ghost: for the Spirit is the bond of union between Christ and us, and between
God and us. God communicates himself to us by his Spirit, and we communicate
with God by his Spirit. God does all in us by his Spirit, and we do all back
again to God by the Spirit. Because Christ, as a head, as the second Adam, was
to be the root of all that are saved, as the first Adam was the root of all
that are damned, he was therefore to receive the Spirit, and to have it put
upon him in a more excellent and rich manner: for we must know that all things
are first in Christ, and then in us.
God
chose him first, and then he chose us. God singled him out to be the Saviour,
the second Adam, and he calls us in Christ.
God
justified Christ from our sins, being our surety, taking our sins upon him. We
are justified, because he by his resurrection quit himself from the guilt of
our sins, as having paid the debt.
Christ
is the first fruits of them that rise again, (1 Cor. 15:20). We rise again
because he is risen. Christ first ascended; we ascend in Christ. Christ is
first loved; we are loved in the Beloved. Christ is first blessed; we are
blessed with all spiritual blessings in Jesus Christ, (Eph. 1:8). So, whatsoever
is in us, we have it at the second hand. We have the Spirit in us, but he is
first in Christ; God has put the Spirit in Christ, as the spring, as the second
Adam, as a public person, that should receive the Spirit for us all. He is
first in all things; Christ must have the preeminence. He has the preeminence
in all, both before time, in time, and after time, in election, in whatsoever
is done here in this world, and in glorification. All is first in Christ, and
then in us. He is the elder brother.
We
must understand this, to give Christ his due honour and respect, and to know
whence we have all we have. Therefore the Spirit is said here, first, to be “put
upon Christ.” We have not the Holy Ghost immediately from God, but we have him
as sanctifying Christ first, and then us; and whatsoever the Holy Ghost does in
us, he does the same in Christ first, and he does it in us because in Christ.
Therefore, in John 16:14,15, Christ says, “He shall take of mine.” Whatsoever
the Holy Ghost works in us, he takes of Christ first. How is that?
Thus:
the Holy Ghost comforts us with reasons from Christ. He died, and has
reconciled us to God; therefore, now God is at peace with thee. Here the Holy
Ghost takes a ground of comfort from the death of Christ. When the Holy Ghost
would raise a man up to holiness of life, he tells him, Christ thy Saviour and
head is quickened, and is now in heaven, therefore we ought to rise to holiness
of life. If the Holy Ghost be to work either comfort or grace, or anything, he
not only does the same thing that he did first in Christ, but he does it in us
by reasons from Christ, by grounds fetched from Christ. The Holy Ghost tells
our souls that God loves Christ first, and he loves us in Christ, and that we
are those that God gave Christ for, that we are those that Christ makes
intercession for in heaven. The Holy Ghost witnesses to us the love of the
Father and the Son, and so he fetches from Christ whatsoever he works.
And
hence the work of the Holy Ghost is distinguished from illusions and delusions,
that are nothing but frantic conceits of comfort that are groundless. The Holy
Ghost fetches all from Christ in his working and comfort, and he makes Christ
the pattern of all; for whatsoever is in Christ, the Holy Ghost, which is the
Spirit of Christ, works in us as it is in Christ. Therefore, in John 1:13, it
is said, “of his fulness we receive grace for grace”—that is, grace answerable
to his grace. There are three things that we receive answerable to Christ by
the Spirit.
We
receive grace—that is, the favour of God answerable to the favour God shows his
Son. He loves his Son, he is graciously disposed to him, and he loves us.
So
grace habitual. We have grace in us answerable to the grace in Christ. We have
love answerable to his love, patience answerable to his patience, obedience and
humility answerable to that in Christ. The Spirit works a conformity to Christ
in all things.
Likewise,
in the third place, the Spirit assures us of the same privileges that issue
from grace. Christ is a Son; the Spirit tells us we are sons. Christ is an
heir; the Spirit tells us we are heirs with Christ. Christ is the king of
heaven and earth; the Spirit tells us that we are kings, that his riches are
ours. Thus we have “grace for grace,” both favour and grace in us, and
privileges issuing from grace, we have all as they are in Christ. Even as in
the first Adam we receive of his emptiness, curse for curse, ill for ill; for
his blindness and rebellion we are answerable; we are born as he was after his
fall: so in the second Adam, by his Spirit, we receive grace for grace.
Hence
issues this, that our state now in Christ is far more excellent than our state
in Adam was.
How
does it spring hence?
Thus,
Christ is God-man. His nature was sanctified by the Spirit; he was a more
excellent person, he gives and sends the Spirit. Adam was only a mere man, and
therefore his goodness could not be so derived to his posterity; for, however
the Holy Ghost was in Adam, yet the Holy Ghost did not so fill him, he was not
so in him as in Christ. The Holy Ghost is in Christ in a more excellent manner;
for Christ being equal with God, he gave the Holy Ghost; the Holy Ghost comes
from Christ as God. Now the second Adam being a more excellent person, we being
in Christ the second Adam, we are in a more excellent, and in a more safe
estate; we have a better keeper of our happiness than Adam. He being a mere
man, he could not keep his own happiness, but lost himself and all his
posterity. Though he were created after the image of God, yet being but a were
man, he showed himself to be a man—that is, a changeable creature; but Christ
being God and man, having his nature sanctified by the Spirit, now our
happiness is in a better keeping, for our grace has a better spring. The grace
and sanctification we have, it is not in our own keeping, it distils into us
answerable to our necessities; but the spring is inexhaustable, it never fails,
the spring is in Christ. So the favour that God bears us, it is not first in
us, but it is first in Christ; God loves him, and then he loves us; he gives
him the Spirit, and us in him. Now, Christ is the keeper both of the love of
God towards us and the grace of God; and whatsoever is good he keeps all for
us, he receives all for himself and for us; he receives not only the Spirit for
himself, but he receives it as Mediator, as head: for “we all of his fulness
receive grace for grace.” He receives it as a fountain to diffuse it, I say.
This shows us our happy and blessed condition in Jesus Christ, that now the
grace and love of God and our happiness, and the grace whereby we are
sanctified and fitted for it, it is not in our own keeping originally, but in
our head Christ Jesus.
These
be comfortable considerations, and, indeed, the life and soul of a Christian’s
life and comfort. If we conceive them aright, they will quicken us to
obedience, and we shall know what the gospel is. To come to make some use of
it.
I
might observe this, that none should take that office upon them to which they
are not called of God, nor qualified by his Spirit, especially ministers,
because Christ did not set upon his office, till the Spirit was put upon him.
The Spirit must enable us and fit us for everything. But I leave that, and come
to that which concerns us all.
First,
then, has God put the Spirit upon Christ, as the evangelist says in John 3:34, “He
whom God has sent” —that is Christ— he speaks the word of God: for God gives
him not the Spirit by measure.” God does not stand measuring grace out to
Christ, but he pours it out upon him, full measure, running over, because he
receives it not for himself alone, but for us. We receive the Spirit by
measure, (Eph. 4:7), “according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” Christ
gives us all a measure of sanctifying knowledge and of every grace, till we “grow
to be a perfect man in Christ,” (Eph. 4:13). Therefore it is called the “first
fruits of the Spirit,” (Rom. 8:23), as much as shall fit us for heaven, and
grace sufficient, though it be not that measure we shall have hereafter, or
that we would have here. Christ had a full measure, the fulness of a fountain,
diffusive, not only abundance for himself, but redundance, and overflowing for
the good of others; he being the head of the church, not only a head of
eminence, but of influence to bestow and convey all grace in him to all his
members, proportionable to the service of every member. Therefore he received
not the Spirit according to measure—that is, sparingly—but it was showered upon
him; he was filled and clothed with the Holy Ghost.
Is
it so? Let us labour, then, to see where to have supply in all our wants. We
have a full treasury to go to. All treasure is hid in Christ for us. What a
comfort is this in anything we lack! If we lack the favour of God, go to his
beloved Christ, desire God to love us in his beloved, and to accept us in his
gracious Son, in him whom he has made his servant, and anointed with his Spirit
for that purpose.
If
we lack particular graces, go to the well-head Christ, consider of Christ now
filled for us, as it was in Aaron. The oil that was poured on Aaron’s head ran
down to his beard, and to the skirts of his clothing, (Ps. 133:2), the meanest
parts of his garment were bedewed with that oil: so the graces of God’s Spirit
poured upon our head Christ, our Aaron, our High Priest, run down upon us, upon
all ranks of Christians, even upon the skirts, the weakest and lowest
Christians. Every one has grace for grace; we all partake of the oil and
anointing of our spiritual Aaron, our High Priest. If we lack anything, therefore,
let us go to him. I can do all, says
Will
you go to idols, stocks and stones, devices of men’s brain, for supply of grace
and comfort? Christ, whom God has sent, he is come into the world; he is God
and eternal life. “God has given eternal life, and this life is in his Son,” (1
John 5:11); therefore why should you go to idols?
What
is the ground of popish idolatries and abominations? They conceive not aright
of the fulness of Christ, wherefore he was ordained, and sent of God; for if
they did, they would not go to idols and saints, and leave Christ. Therefore let
us make this use of it, go out of Christ for nothing. If we want favour, go not
to saints, if we want instruction, go not to traditions of men. He is a prophet
wise enough, and a priest full enough to make us accepted of God. If we lack
any grace, he is a king able enough, rich enough, and strong enough to subdue
all our rebellions in us, and he will in time by his Spirit overcome all, “stronger
is he that is in us than he that is in the world,” (1 John 4:4). The spirit in
the world, the devil and devilish-minded men, they are not so strong as the
Spirit of Christ; for by little and little the Spirit of Christ will subdue
all. Christ is a king, go not out of him therefore for anything. “Babes, keep
yourselves from idols,” (1 John 5:21). You may well enough, you know whom to go
to.
Therefore
let us shame ourselves. Is there such a store-house of comfort and grace every
way in Christ? Why are we so weak and comfortless? Why are we so dejected as if
we had not such a rich husband? All out husband’s riches are ours for our good,
we receive of it in our measure, why do we not go to the fountain and make use
of it? Why, in the midst of abundance, are we poor and beggarly? Here we may
see the misery of the world. Christ is a prophet to teach us the way to heaven,
but how few be there that will be directed by him “Christ is a king to subdue
all our spiritual and worst enemies, to subdue those enemies that kings tremble
at, to subdue death, to subdue the fear of judgment and the wrath of God, and
yet how few will come under his government! “Christ is the light of the world,”
(John 9:5), yet how few follow him! Christ is the way, yet how few tread in his
steps! Christ is our wisdom and our riches, yet how few go to him to fetch any
riches, but content themselves with the transitory things of this life! Men
live as if Christ were nothing, or did nothing concern them, as if he were a
person abstracted from them, as if he were not a head or husband, as if he had
received the Spirit only for himself and not for them, whereas all that is in
Christ is for us. I beseech you therefore let us learn to know Christ better,
and to make use of him.
Again,
if Christ has “the Spirit put upon him for us all,” then in our daily slips and
errors make this use, to offer Christ to God with this argument. Take an
argument from God himself to bind him. God will be bound with his own
arguments. We cannot bind him with ours, but let us go to him and say, Lord,
though I be thus and thus sinful, yet for Christ Jesus’ sake thy servant, whom
thou lovest and hast put thy Spirit upon him to be a priest, and to make
intercession for me, for his sake pardon, for his sake accept. Make use of God’s
consecration of Christ by the Spirit to God himself, and bind him with his own
mediator, and with his own priest of his own ordaining. Thou canst not, Lord,
refuse a Saviour and mediator of thine own, sanctified by thine own Spirit,
whom thou hast set apart, and ordained and qualified every way for this
purpose. Let us go to God in the name of this mediator Jesus Christ every day,
and this is to make a good use of this, that God has “put his Spirit upon him.”
But
to make a use of trial, how shall we know that this comfort belongs to us, that
Christ has the Spirit put upon him for us or no, whether he be ordained a king,
priest, and prophet for us? That which I said before will give light to this.
We must partake of the same Spirit that Christ has, or else we are none of his
members. As we partake of his name, so we must also of his anointing. Thereupon
we are called Christians, because we partake of the anointing and Spirit of
Christ, and if we have the Spirit of Christ, it will work the same in us as it
did in Christ, it will convince us of our own ill, of our rebellions, and
cursed estate, and it will convince us likewise of the good we have in him. And
then, he is a Spirit of union, to knit us to Christ, and make us one with him,
and thereupon to quicken us, to lead us, and guide us, and to dwell in us
continually, to stir up prayers and supplications in us, to make us cry
familiarly to God as to a Father, to comfort and support us in all our wants
and miseries, as he did Christ, “to help our infirmities,” as the apostle at
large, in Romans 8:20, sets down the excellent office of the Holy Ghost, what
he does in those that are Christ’s. Let us therefore examine ourselves, what
the Spirit does in us, if Christ be set apart to redeem us as a priest. Surely
all his offices go together. He does by the same Spirit rule us, (Rev. 1:5), “He
has washed us in his blood, and made us kings and priests.” Whosoever he washes
in his blood he makes him a king and a priest, he makes him by the power of his
Spirit able to rule over his base corruptions. We may know then, whether we
have benefit by Christ by his Spirit, not only by the Spirit witnessing that we
are the sons of God, but by some arguments whereby the Spirit may witness
without delusion. For though the Spirit of Christ tells us that we are Christ’s,
yet the proof must be from guiding and leading, and comforting and conforming
us to Jesus Christ, in making us kings and prophets, enlightening our
understandings to know his will, and conforming us to be like him. The Spirit
of Christ is a Spirit of power and strength. It will enable us to perform
duties above nature, to overcome ourselves and injuries, it will make us to
lack and to abound, it will make us able to live and to die, as it enabled
Christ to do things that another man could not do. So a Christian can do that,
and suffer that that another man cannot do and suffer, because he has the
Spirit of Christ.
At
the least, whosoever has the Spirit of Christ, he shall find that Spirit in him
striving against that which is contrary, and by little and little getting
ground. Where there is no conflict, there is no Spirit of Christ at all. I will
not be large in the point, only I speak this by way of trial, to know whether
we have the Spirit of Christ in us or no. If not, we have nothing to do with
Christ; for Christ saves us not as he is out of us only. Christ was to do
something of himself that we have no share in, only the good of it is ours. He
was to redeem us by his blood, to be a sacrifice. The title to heaven and
salvation was wrought by Christ out of us. But there is somewhat that he does
not only for us, but he works in us by his Spirit, that is, the fitting of us
for that he has given us title to, and the applying of that that he has done
for us. Whosoever therefore has any benefit by Christ, he has the Spirit to
apply that to himself and to fit and qualify him to be a member of such a head,
and an heir of such a kingdom. Whosoever Christ works anything for, he does
also work in them. There is a Spirit of application, and that Spirit of
application, if it be true, it is a Spirit of sanctification and renovation
fitting us every way for our, condition.
Let
us not abuse ourselves, as the world commonly does, concerning Christ. They
think God is merciful, and Christ is a Saviour. It is true, but what has he
wrought in thee by his Spirit? Hast thou the Spirit of Christ? Or “else thou
art none of his,” (Rom. 8:9). Wherever Christ is, he goes with his Spirit to
teach us to apply what Christ has done for us, and to fit us to be like him.
Therefore, let those that live in any sins against conscience, think it a
diabolical illusion to think God and Christ is merciful. Aye, but where is the
work of the Spirit? All the hope thou hast is only that thou art not in hell as
yet, [only] for the time to come; but for the present I dare not say thou hast
anything to do with Christ, when there is nothing of the Spirit in thee. The
Spirit of Christ conforms the spouse to be like the husband, and the members to
be like the head. Therefore, beg of Christ that he would anoint himself king in
our hearts, and prophet and priest in our hearts, to do that that he did, to
know his will as a prophet, to rule in us as a king, and to stir up prayers in
us as a priest, to do in some proportion that that he does, though it be in
never so little a measure, for we receive it in measure, but Christ beyond
measure. We must labour for so much as may manifest to us the truth of our
estate in Christ, that we are not dead but living branches.
But
how or by what means does Christ give his Spirit to us? This Spirit that is so
necessary for us, it is given by the ministry of the gospel, which is the
ministry of the Spirit. “Received ye the Holy Ghost by the works of the law, or
by the hearing of faith preached?” (Gal. 3:2). When the love of God in Christ,
and the benefits by Christ, are laid open in the preaching of the gospel to us,
God gives his holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ. Now God in Christ would save
us by a triumphant and abundant love and mercy, and the Spirit of God never
goes but where there is a magnifying of the love and mercy of God in Christ;
therefore the ministry of the gospel, which only discovers the amity and love
of God to mankind, being now reconciled in Christ, it is accompanied with the
Spirit, to assure us of our part and portion in those benefits, for the Spirit
is the fruit of God’s love as well as Christ. Christ is the first gift, and the
Spirit is the second, therefore that part of the word that reveals God’s
exceeding love to mankind, leaving angels when they were fallen, in their
cursed estate, and yet giving his Son to become man, and “a curse for us:” the
revealing of this love and mercy of God, and of his Son Christ to us, is joined
with the Spirit. For by the Spirit we see our cursed estate without the love
and mercy of God in Christ, and likewise we are convinced of the love of God in
Christ, and thereupon we love God in return, and trust to his mercy, and out of
love to him perform all cheerful obedience. Whatsoever we do else, if it be not
stirred by the Spirit, apprehending the love of God in Christ, it is but
morality. A man shall never go to heaven except by such a disposition and frame
and temper of soul as is wrought by the Holy Ghost, persuading the soul first
of the love and favour of God in Christ. What are all our performances if they
be not out of love to God? And how shall we love God except we be persuaded
that he loves us first? Therefore the gospel breeds love in us to God, and has
the Spirit together with it, working a blessed frame of sanctification, whereby
we are disposed to every good duty. Therefore if we would have the Spirit of
God, let us attend upon the sweet promises of salvation, upon the doctrine of
Christ; for together with the knowledge of these things, the Holy Ghost slides
and insinuates and infuses himself into our souls.
Therefore
the ministers of the gospel should be much in laying open the riches of God in
Christ. In unfolding Christ, all other things will follow, as
What
is the reason that former times were called dark times (and so they were), the
times of popery a dark age? Christ was veiled, the gospel was veiled, there was
no preaching of salvation by Christ alone, people were sent to stocks and
stones, and to saints, and instead of the word, they were sent to legends and
such things. Christ was obscured, thereupon they were dark ages. Those ages
wherein the Spirit of God is most, is where Christ is most preached, and people
are best always where there is most Spirit; and they are most joyful and
comfortable and holy, where Christ is truly laid open to the hearts of people.
The preaching of mere morality, if men be not careful to open Christ, to know
how salvation is wrought by Christ, and how all good comes by Christ, it will
never make a man perfectly good and fit him for heaven. It may make a man
reform many abuses, like a philosopher, which has its reward and respect
amongst men, but nothing to give comfort at the hour of death and the day of
judgment. Only that whereby the Spirit is conveyed, is the knowledge and
preaching of Christ in his state and offices.
And he shall shew judgment to the
Gentiles.
—After Christ was fully prepared, as he was prepared with the Spirit of God,
and with a commission from heaven, from Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, having
this high commission, and gifts for it by the Spirit, he falls upon his office
presently. We are never fit for anything till we have the Spirit, and when we
have the Spirit it is active and vigorous and working. “He shall shew judgment
to the Gentiles.”
He
shall not strive nor cry, neither shall any man hear his voice in the
streets.—These words set down the mild and sweet and amiable manner of Christ’s
carriage upon earth. Here, in his first coming to work the great work of our
redemption, he did not carry the matter in an outward glorious manner, in pomp;
but he would have his miracles concealed ofttimes and himself hidden. His
Godhead was hid under the veil of his manhood. He could not have wrought our
salvation otherwise. If the devil and the world had known Christ to be as he
was, they would never have made those attempts against him. Therefore,
considering he had such a dispensation to work our salvation as a king, priest,
and prophet, he would not cry and contend and strive, he would not come with
any great noise.
Now,
here is an opposition to the giving of the law, and likewise to the coming and
carriage of civil princes. You know when the law was given all the mount was on
fire, and the earth thereabout quaked and trembled, and the people fled. They
could not endure to hear the voice of God speaking in the mount; there was such
a terrible smoke and fire, they were all afraid. Thus came Moses. Now, did
Christ come as Moses? Was the gospel delivered by Christ as the law was, in
terrors and fears? Oh, no. Christ came not in such a terrible manner, in
thunder and lightning; but the gospel, it came sweetly. A dove, a mild
creature, lit upon the head of Christ when he was baptized, to show his mild
manner of carriage; and he came with blessing in his mouth in his first sermon
of all: Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are they that mourn, blessed
are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness,” (Matthew 5:8,4,6). The
law came with curses: “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things
written in the law to do them,” (Gal. 3:10). Christ came in another manner; the
gospel was delivered in a mild, sweet manner. Christ, as an ambassador, came
sweetly to entreat and beseech. There is a crying, indeed, but it is a crying
out of love and entreaty, not a shouting in a terrible manner as was at the
giving of the law, no, nor as at the coming of other civil princes into a city,
with shouting and noise of trumpets, with pomp, and state, and great
attendants. Christ came not into the world to execute his kingdom and office in
such pomp and noise as it is said of Agrippa, (Acts 25:23), “He came with great
pomp.” So worldly princes carry things thus, and it is needful in some sort.
People must have shows and pomp; the outward man must have outward things to
astonish it withal. It is a policy in state so to do. But Christ came in
another manner. He came not to make men quake and tremble that came to speak
and deal with him. He came not with clamour and fierceness; for who would have
come to Christ then? But he came in a mild, and sweet, and amiable manner. We
see a little before the text (v. 16), upon occasion of the inference of these
words, he commands and charges them that they should not reveal him and make
him known. When he had done a good work he would not have it known.
Now,
there are three things especially insinuated in this description,
He
shall not strive nor cry, neither shall any man hear his voice in the street.”
That Christ should not be outwardly glorious to publish his own excellency, nor
contentious; he should not cry nor quarrel, nor he should not be clamorous, if
he had any wrong, to be all on fire presently, but he should be as a meek lamb,
he should make no noise, he should not come in vainglory or clamour, etc.
But
here we must know that Christ was a wise discerner of the fitness of times; for
sometimes he would have things published, sometimes he would not; sometimes he
would be known, sometimes he would not. Christ, in his second coming, shall
come all in majesty and glory with his angels, and all the earth shall appear
before him; but now his wisdom told him, now he came to save the world as a
prophet, priest, and king, to work man’s salvation, that he must hide and
conceal himself; and so he ordered all his courses by discretion. Every
sacrifice must be salted with salt, everything should be seasoned with the salt
of discretion. This is the steward of all our actions, to know what is fit.
Christ knew it was fittest to conceal himself now at this time.
Now,
by Christ’s example we should learn this, not to be vainglorious, not to make a
great noise. You have some, if they do anything that is good, presently all the
world must know it. This was not Christ’s disposition. It is a disposition that
is hardly wrought out of man’s heart without an exceeding great measure of the
Spirit of God; for we see good men have been given this way. David would number
the people, that it might be known what a great monarch he was, what a great
number of people he had, (2 Sam. 24). He was a good man, yet vainglorious. He
smarted for it. So good Hezekiah. Ambassadors were sent to him from the king of
Babylon, and that they should know that Hezekiah was no beggarly prince, out
must come the vessels of the temple and all his treasures, to show what a rich
king the king of Judah was, (2 Kings 20:13, et seq.). His vainglory cost him
all his riches, as the prophet told him. So the disciples. Before they received
a great measure of the Spirit, how vainglorious were they! They contended for
the higher place; therefore they advise Christ to go up to
What
should we learn hence?
To
be of Christ’s disposition, that is, to have no more care of the knowledge of
things than the light of the things themselves will discover, to do works of
light, and if the things themselves will break forth to men’s eyes and they
must see our light shine, then let them, and imitate our good works; but for us
to blazon them abroad ourselves, it is not the spirit of Christ.
Let
us labour to have humility of spirit, that that may grow up with us in all our
performances, that all things that we speak and do may savour of a spirit of
humility, that we may seek the glory of God in all things more than our own.
And
let us commit the fame and credit of what we are or do to God. He will take
care of that. Let us take care to be and to do as we should, and then for noise
and report, let it be good or ill as God will send it. We know ofttimes it
falls out that that which is precious in man’s eye is abominable in God’s. If
we seek to be in the mouths of men, to dwell in the talk and speech of men, God
will abhor us, and at the hour of death it will not comfort us what men speak
or know of us, but sound comfort must be from our own conscience and the
judgment of God. Therefore, let us labour to be good in secret. Christians
should be as minerals, rich in the depth of the earth. That which is least seen
is his riches. We should have our treasure deep. For the disclosure of it we
should be ready when we are called to it, and for all other accidental things,
let them fall out as God in his wisdom sees good. So let us look through good
report and bad report to heaven; let us do the duties that are pleasing to God
and our own conscience, and God will be careful enough to get us applause. Was
it not sufficient for Abel, that though there was no great notice taken what
faith he had, and how good a man he was, yet that God knew it and revealed it?
God sees our sincerity and the truth of our hearts, and the graces of our
inward man, he sees all these, and he values us by these, as he did Abel. As
for outward things there may be a great deal of deceit in them, and the more a
man grows in grace, the less he cares for them. As much reputation as is fit
for a man will follow him in being and doing what he should. God will look to
that. Therefore we should not set up sails to our own meditations, that unless
we be carried with the wind of applause, to be becalmed and not go a whit
forward; but we should be carried with the Spirit of God and with a holy desire
to serve God, and our brethren, and to do all the good we can, and never care
for the speeches of the world, as St Paul says of himself: “I care not what ye
judge of me, I care not what the world judgeth, I care not for man’s judgment,”
(1 Cor. 4:3). This is man’s day. We should, from the example of Christ, labour
to subdue this infirmity which we are sick of naturally. Christ concealed himself
till he saw a fitter time. We shall have glory enough, and be known enough to
devils, to angels, and men ere long. Therefore, as Christ lived a hidden life,
that is, he was not known what he was, that so he might work our salvation, so
let us be content to be hidden men. A true Christian is hidden to the world
till the time of manifestation comes. When the time came, Christ then
gloriously revealed what he was; so it shall be revealed what we are. In the
mean time, let us be careful to do our duty that may please the Spirit of God,
and satisfy our own conscience, and leave all the rest to God. Let us meditate,
in the fear of God, upon these directions for the guidance of our lives in this
particular.
