Good and upright is the Lord, therefore will he teach sinners in the way....Psalm xxv. 8. HERE are two characters the most opposite: a good and upright Lord....wicked and perverse sinners. Good and upright as the Lord is, he might justly damn sinners: but no, O condescending grace! he will not leave sinners to perish in their ignorance and obstinacy: he will teach them. It is said of one, that after his conversion he could scarce mention the name of JESUS without a tear. O, had it not been for his redemption, no sinner would have had divine teaching! but all whom Christ has redeemed by his blood the Spirit teaches by his power: this is his office in the covenant of grace. This implies, that so ignorant are sinners of divine truths that no teaching besides the Lord the Spirit can instruct and make them wise unto salvation. Come, sinner, come down from the altitudes of thy fancied wisdom and boasted knowledge, and learn this humbling truth to-night. If thou seest thy own ignorance and thy want of being divinely taught, rejoice at this declaration. Cry to the Spirit, Lord teach me. HE WILL TEACH. Who? Only such as are good and upright like himself? No; but such as are of a contrary character, SINNERS: whose carnal minds are enmity against his holy law who " are sold under sin, and in whose flesh dwells no good thing." Is this thy character? The Lord will teach such....IN THE WAY. What way? Not in the way of sin, that is contrary to his holiness; not in the way of self-righteousness, that is contrary to his truth: but in the knowledge of Christ, who is the way, the way of access to God, acceptance with God, justificat. on before God, and everlasting life as the free gift of God, according to the covenant-grace and everlasting love of God. By repentance unto life in this way of peace, in this walk of faith, in this path of love, truth and holiness the Spirit will teach redeemed sinners on earth, till he brings them to glory his teaching shall be as effectual to their glorification as the death of Christ for their salvation. Poor sinner, who like me art oft distressed and dejected with thy wicked nature, take comfort to night from these two truths: till satan can blot them out of God's book, or make us worse than sinners, they stand on record for our comfort: "Christ Jesus came to save SINNERS." God will teach SINNERS. Look then to the finished salvation of Jesus: look to the Spirit to teach thee the glory of it, to bear witness to thy soul of interest in it, and to fill thee with joy and peace by it. When we consult with flesh and blood, Saints, if you'd live and walk in peace, When the chief shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory, that fadeth not away....1 Pet. v. 4. PETER speaks with the utmost confidence of the appearing of Christ, and of all his members being crowned in glory: yes, he knew better than to make his Lord a liar: for if any one of them should perish in their sins, and by the force and fraud of satan be dragged down to hell, then they would lose their crown in glory. But how then would the goodness of their shepherd appear, if he suffered this? Peter never received nor ever taught such devilish, damnable doctrine: he too well knew the unchangeable love of the chief shepherd: he knew Christ could not be glorified nor would his heavenly Father be satisfied, without each and every one of his chosen, redeemed, justified, believing members were crowned in glory. He says, "I am the GOOD shepherd: I KNOW my sheep, I give my life for my sheep."....John x. If but one of them was missing, he would ransack hell and the grave to find him and to crown him. For, 1st. Christ is our chief shepherd. The sheep are all his own. 1st. By the gift of his Father....John xvii. 2. 2d. By the purchase of his blood. Our souls are bought with that pre-、 cious price....1 Cor. vi. 20. 3d. As a shepherd, he calls us and gathers us to himself by the grace of his word and the power of his Spirit. 4th. He is what no other shepherd can be, and in this he is CHIEF indeed to our souls: he is OUR LIFE. Our life is not in our own keeping: it can never be lost or forfeited: it is in our head, safe and sure, certain and eternal. Being in union to, and communion with Christ by faith, we now enjoy the earnest of glory in the spiritual blessings and comforts of this life. When we find our hearts holy and happy, this is because Christ is our life. When we groan under sin, and hunger and thirst after righteousness, this is because Christ is our life. Thus Christ, our chief shepherd, appears now in the spirit and life of our souls. 2d. Christ SHALL appear. As verily, as he once appeared as a mean man, and hung as a vile malefactor, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself; he shall appear to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them who believe. But, says a poor sensible sinner, How shall I appear before him? I deserve ever to be banished from him. True; but, 3d. You shall receive from him a never-fading crown of glory: that dear hand which was nailed to the cross for you, shall be stretched forth to crown you. O Lord! Is it possible? I am not worthy of this. True: so you will think to all eternity: therefore you will sing, "Worthy is the LAMB," &c.... Rev. v. 12. Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me....Psalm vii. 8. WHAT! Is David become a self-justiciary? Does he trust in, and depend upon his own righteousness? Does he plead it, even before the Lord, and expect justification by it? Hath he not elsewhere declared? "In thy sight shall no man living be justified." Psalm cxliii. 2. Why then does he talk here of My righteousness? And why does he say, "The Lord reward me according to my righteousness?"....Psalm xviii. 20. It was far from David's heart to make his own righteousness the ground of his acceptance before God, or to place his hope of eternal life in it. He was a poor sinner: he knew it full well he confesses it constantly to the Lord : he declares in point of justification, "I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine ONLY."....Psalm Ixxii. 16. Why then does he here talk of his own righteousness? Let not this puzzle thy mind nor pervert thy judgment, O christian. You may also do the same in the same sense. Consider, David is here speaking of false calumnies and unjust accusations brought against him by Saul his cruel and unkind enemy. Hast not thou met with the same treatment? Has thy conscience acquitted thee of what has been laid to thy charge? Hast thou known that thy hands were clean, thy heart pure, and thine integrity free from base imputation? Then thou hast a right to carry thy cause to thy Lord and to plead thy righteousness, uprightness and integrity of conduct, in this sense before him : to thank him for his grace which kept thee from doing, as thy enemies unjustly charge thee, and enabled thee to do what was just and right; and to beseech the Lord to save thee from them who unjustly persecute thee: to pity their cruelty before him: to pray, to thy Lord for them. All this is perfectly consistent with thy faith thy hope, and thy love. Study to profit by thy enemies' treatment. Cease ye from man. Like thy Lord, learn obedience by the things which you suffer....Heb. v. 8. Commit thy cause unto the Lord. Be assured he will deliver thee from unreasonable and wicked men : "For all men have not faith."....2 Thess. iii. 2. A christian's moral character should be held most sacred by him. Righteousness, integrity and uprightness to all men, should ever be practised by him, that the way of truth be not blamed on his account. O, it grieves one to the very heart, when professors give cause to the enemies of Christ to say, see here are your saints! They pay no regard to moral righteousness and integrity! Be careful to "give no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed."....2 Cor. vi. 3. The rule of right, the way that's just, Dear Lord, I daily need thy grace, O may Tho' in my works I dare not trust, Yet works faith justifies. VOL. II. Each duty to fulfil, S$ M. Come and see....John i. 39. : THUS replies the Lamb of God to an enquiry after where he dwelt. How came these two disciples of John to make this enquiry? John had pointed them from himself to Jesus, with, BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD. Just as though he had said, "Look at that dear man take special notice of him he has a whole world of sinners to save: he loved them from all eternity: he is come as an innocent, meek LAMB, to be slain as a sacrifice for them; and his precious blood taketh away all their sins. You and I are poor miserable sinners. We have no object to look to but that LAMB. Nothing can take away our sins: nothing can bring pardon to our hearts, peace to our consciences, and salvation to our souls, but his blood: nothing can make us holy and happy here on earth, but looking to and living upon this LAMB OF GOD. They believed this: no wonder then that they followed Jesus and asked him, "where dwellest thou?" He said, COME AND SEE. O what a sweet, free and loving invitation is here! Just so it is now that disciples are gathered to Jesus. His ministers preach of, and point poor lost sinners to him: they tell of the love of his tender heart, the virtue of his precious blood, and the lamb-like meekness of his nature to receive every poor sinner who comes to him: hence poor, sin-sick souls, dejected, distressed hearts, and troubled minds, hear, are encouraged, and follow him. He turns and sees, and asks them, "What seek ye ? ?" They ask him, where dwellest thou? Then saith Jesus, COME AND SEE. Come, and live with me, upon all the fulness of grace which I have for your needy souls. COME AND SEE all the fulness of my salvation for your destroyed souls; the full atonement my blood has made for your sins; the glorious righteousness I have wrought out to justify your persons; the peace I have made on the cross for your souls. COME AND SEE that this is effectually and for ever done, and is fully to be enjoyed by faith. Hence learn, 1st. There cannot an inquiry arise in a poor sinner's mind concerning Christ, but he has a meek and loving answer to give. He has compassion on the ignorant and them who are out of the way. 2d. Do we enquire where Christ dwells? He answers, COME AND SEE. I, the high and lofty one who inhabiteth eternity, dwell also in your nature: I became flesh for you, that you may freely come to me, joyfully see, and richly partake of my fulness to supply all your wants and all your need. 3d. Here is a free invitation: COME AND SEE. Without money. You have nothing to bring. Come, see, and enjoy all freely without money and without price. Lastly, Jesus will soon say, come and see all the glory of my kin gdom above. Glory be to thee, O Lord. Freely ye have received, freely give....Matt. x. 8. CHRIST spake these words to his apostles. They had their commission immediately from him, to preach his everlasting gospel. Many of the clergy, who pretend to be their successors, cannot receive this saying. Their learned lumber, (because unsanctified) cost them too much, to be dispensed for nought. Free-grace truths they cannot give freely; they have not freely received them into their own hearts. Hence, through ignorance, they are enemies to them and opposers of them. Expect to receive nothing from such unconverted ministers: pity them: pray for them: avoid their errors: be courteous to their persons. Private christians as well as ministers have freely received out of the fulness of Christ; therefore, O soul, you and I are concerned in these words. 1st. What have we received? The free favor of God, in the rich grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. This comprehends all things from God: this includes all things in God. Have we repentance unto life? It is by his grace. Have we faith in, hope on, and love to Christ? All springs from the grace of Christ. Have we a new heart, spiritual affections, holy desires? The grace of God bestowed them. How? 2d. FREELY. Like the lillies of the field they toil not, neither do they spin, to obtain their rich fragrance and beautiful tinge. The God of nature freely bestows both: so on us he freely bestows the riches of his grace. Neither by toil could we perform conditions, nor by spinning fulfil terms to entitle ourselves to it. We have freely received life from the dead, justification from condemnation, pardon from guilt, sanctification from unholiness, the assured hope of heaven from the dread of hell. O consider the rich and free bounty of the giver, the misery and unworthiness of the receiver: and say, art not thou bound to obey his command. 3d. FREELY GIVE....thyself, thy whole soul and body, gifts and abilities, time and talents to God the justifier; to Jesus the Redeemer ; and to the Spirit the sanctifier. Freely give the hatred of thy heart to thy sins, the abhorrence of thy soul to satan, contempt of thy spirit to a vain world, love to thy brethren in Christ, pity to thy fellow sinners, good will to all men, and food to thine own soul daily, from Christ and the word of his grace. This is the sweet exercise of faith, through the power of the Spirit. Thus free-grace operates upon new-born souls: "They gave their own selves unto the Lord."....2 Cor. viii. 5. O the power of this truth! "Christ gave himself for our sins."....Gal. i. 4. Lord, I am thine, redeem'd by grace, Let free-grace love be all my boast, To love the Lord for all he's done. M. |