Flavel, Fountain of Life, File 28.
( ...continued from File 27)
Sermon 28. Of the manner of Christ's Death, in respect to the
Solitariness thereof.
Zechariah 13:7
Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man [that is]
my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the
sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little
ones.
In the former sermons, we have opened the nature and kind of death
Christ died; even the cursed death of the cross. Wherein,
nevertheless his innocence was vindicated, by that honourable title
providentially affixed to his cross. Method now requires that we
take into consideration the manner in which he endured the cross,
and that was solitarily, meekly, and instructively.
His solitude in suffering is plainly expressed in this
scripture now before us, it cannot be doubted, but the prophet in
this place speaks of Christ, if you consider Matth. 26: 31. where
you shall find these words applied to Christ by his own
accommodation of them, "Then said Jesus unto them, all ye shall be
offended because of me this night, for it is written, I will smite
the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered." Besides, the title
here given [God's fellow] is too big for any creature in heaven or
earth besides Christ.
In these words we have four things particularly to consider.
First, The commission given to the sword by the Lord of hosts.
Secondly, The person against whom it is commissioned. Thirdly, The
dismal effect of that stroke. Fourthly and lastly, The gracious
mitigation of it.
First, The commission given to the sword by the Lord of hosts.
"Awake, O sword, and smite, saith the Lord of hosts." The Lord of
hosts, at whose beck and command all the creatures are. Who, with a
word of his mouth, can open all the armouries in the world, and
command what weapons and instruments of death he pleaseth, calls
here for the sword; not the rod, gently to chasten; but the sword to
destroy. The rod breaks no bones, but the sword opens the door to
death and destruction. The strokes and thrusts of the sword are
mortal; and he bids it awake. It signifies both "to rouse up," as
one that awakes out of sleep, and "to rouse or awake with triumph
and rejoicing." So the same word is rendered, Job 31: 29. Yea, he
commands it, "to awake and smite." And it is as if the Lord had
said, Come forth of thy scabbard, O sword of justice, thou hast been
hid there a long time, and hast, as it were, been asleep in thy
scabbard, now awake and glitter, thou shalt drink royal blood, such
as thou never sheddest before.
Secondly, The person against whom it is commissioned, "my
shepherd, and the man that is my fellows." This shepherd can be no
other than Christ, who is often in scripture stiled "a Shepherd,
yea, the chief Shepherd, the Prince of pastors." Who redeemed,
feeds, guides, and preserves the flock of God's elect, 1 Pet. 5: 4.
John 10: 11. This is he whom he also stiles the man his fellow. Or
his neighbour, as some render it. And so Christ is, with respect to
his equality and unity with the Father, both in essence and will.
His next neighbour. His other self. You have the sense of it in
Phil. 2: 6. He was in the form of God, and thought it no robbery to
be equal with God.
Against Christ his fellow, his next neighbour, the delight of
his soul, the sword here receives its commission.
Thirdly, you have here the dismal consequent of this deadly
stroke upon the shepherd. And that is the scattering of the sheep.
By the sheep understand here, that little flock, the disciples,
which followed this shepherd till he was smitten i.e. apprehended by
his enemies, and they were scattered, i.e. dispersed; they all
forsook him and fled. And so Christ was left alone, amidst his
enemies. Not one durst make a stand for him, or own him in that hour
of his danger.
Fourthly, And lastly, Here is a gracious mitigation of this sad
dispersion, "I will turn my hand upon the little ones." By little
ones he means the same that before he called sheep; but the
expression is designedly varied, to show their feebleness and
weakness, which appeared in their relapse from Christ. And by
turning his hand upon them, understand God's gracious reduction, and
gathering of them again after their sad dispersion, so that they
shall not be lost, though scattered for the present. For after the
Lord was risen, he went before them into Galilee, as he promised,
Matth. 26: 31. And gathered them again by a gracious hand, so that
not one of them was lost but the son of perdition.
The words thus opened, I shall observe suitably to the method I
have proposed.
Doct. That Christ's dearest friends forsook and left him alone,
in the time of his greatest distress and danger.
This doctrine containing only matter of fact, and that also so
plainly delivered by the pens of the several faithful Evangelists, I
need spend no longer time in the proof of it, than to refer you to
the several testimonies they have given to it. But I shall rather
choose to fit and prepare it for use, by explaining these four
questions.
First, Who were the sheep that were scattered from their
shepherd, and left him alone?
Secondly, What evil was there in this their scattering?
Thirdly, What were the grounds and causes of it?
Fourthly, and lastly, What was the issue and event of it?
First, Who were these sheep that were dispersed and scattered
from their shepherd when he was smitten. It is evident they were
those precious elect souls that he had gathered to himself, who had
long followed him, and dearly loved him, and were dearly beloved of
him. They were persons that had left all and followed him, and, till
that time, faithfully continued with him in his temptations, Luke
22: 28. And were all resolved so to do, though they should die with
him, Matth. 26: 35. These were the persons.
Secondly, But were they as good as their word? Did they indeed
stick faithfully to him? No, they all forsook him and fled. These
sheep were scattered. This was not indeed a total and final
apostasy, that is the fall proper to the hypocrite, the temporary
believer, who, like a comet, expires when that earthly matter is
spent that maintained the blaze for a time.
These were stars fixed in their orb, though clouded and
overcast for a time. This was but a mist or fog, which overspreads
the earth in the morning till the sun be risen, and then it clears
up and proves a fair day. But though it was not a total and final
apostasy; yet it was a very sinful and sad relapse from Jesus
Christ, as will appear by considering the following aggravations and
circumstances of it. For,
First, This relapse of theirs was against the very articles of
agreement, which they had sealed to Christ at their first admission
into his service; he had told them, in the beginning, what they must
resolve upon, Luke 14: 26, 27. "If any man come to me, and hate not
his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and
sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And
whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my
disciple." Accordingly they submitted to these terms, and told him
they had left all and followed him, Mark 10: 28. Against this
engagement made to Christ, they now sin. Here was unfaithfulness.
Secondly, As it was against the very terms of their admission,
so it was against the very principles of grace implanted by Christ
in their hearts. They were holy sanctified persons, in whom dwelt
the love and fear of God. By these they were strongly inclined to
adhere to Christ, in the time of his sufferings, as appears by those
honest resolves they had made in the case. Their grace strongly
inclined them to their duty, their corruptions swayed them the
contrary way. Grace bid them stand, corruption bid them fly. Grace
told them it was their duty to share in the sufferings as well as in
the glory of Christ. Corruption represented these sufferings as
intolerable, and bid them shift for themselves whilst they might. So
that here must needs be a force and violence offered to their light,
and the loving constraints thereof; which is no small evil.
For though I grant it was a sudden, surprising temptation, yet
it cannot be imagined that this fact was wholly deliberate; nor
that, for so long time, they were without any debate or seasonings
about their duty.
Thirdly, As it was against their own principles, so it was much
against the honour of their Lord and Master. By this their sinful
flight they exposed the Lord Jesus to the contempt and scorn of his
enemies. This some conceive is imported in that question which the
High-priest asked him, John 18: 19. "The High priest then asked
Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine." He asked him of his
disciples, how many he had, and what was become of them now? And
what was the reason they forsook their master, and left him to shift
for himself when danger appeared? But to those questions Christ made
no reply. He would not accuse them to their enemies, though they had
deserted him. But, doubtless, it did not a little reflect upon
Christ, that there was not one of all his friends that durst own
their relation to him, in a time of danger.
Fourthly, As it was against Christ's honour, so it was against
their own solemn promise made to him before his apprehension, to
live and die with him. They had passed their word, and given their
promise that they would not flinch from him, Matth. 26: 35. "Peter
said to him, though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny
thee. Likewise also said all the disciples." This made it a
perfidious relapse. Here they break promise with Christ who never
did so with them. He might have told then when he met them
afterwards in Galilee, as the Roman soldier told his general, when
he refused his petition after the war was ended, I did not serve ye
so at the battle of Actium.
Fifthly, As it was against their solemn promise to Christ, so
it was against Christ's heart-melting expostulations with them,
which should have abode in their hearts while they lived. For when
others that followed him went back, and walked no more with him,
Jesus said to these very men, that now forsook him at last, Will ye
also go away? There is an emphasis in [ye] q.d. What, ye that from
eternity were given to me! Ye whom I have called, loved, and
honoured above others, for whose sakes I am ready and resolved to
die. "Will ye also forsake me?" John 6: 67. What ever others do, I
expect other things from you.
Sixthly, As it was against Christ's heart-melting
expostulations with them, so it was against a late direful example
presented to them in the fall of Judas. In him, as in a glass, they
might see how fearful a thing it is to apostatise from Christ. They
had heard Christ's dreadful threats against him. They were present
when he called him the son of perdition, John 18: 11. They had heard
Christ say of him, "Good had it been if he had never been born." An
expression able to scare the deadest heart. They saw he had left
Christ the evening before. And that very day, in which they fled, he
hanged himself. And yet they fly. For all this they forsake Christ.
Seventhly, As it was against the dreadful warning given them in
the fall of Judas, so it was against the law of love, which should
have knit them closer to Christ, and to one another.
If to avoid the present shock of persecution, they had fled,
yet surely they should have kept together, praying, watching,
encouraging, and strengthening one another. This had made it a
lesser evil: but as they all forsook Christ, so they forsook one
another also; for it is said, John 16: 32 "They shall go every man
to his own, and leave Christ alone," (i.e. saith Beza) every man to
his own house, and to his own business. They forsook each other, as
well as Christ. O what an hour of temptation was this!
Eighthly, and lastly, This their departure from Christ, was
accompanied with some offence at Christ. For so he tells them,
Matth. 26: 31. "All ye shall be offended because of me this night."
The word is, "skandalisthesesthe", you shall be scandalised at me,
or in me. Some think the scandal they took at Christ was this, that
when they saw he was fallen into his enemies' hands, and could no
longer defend himself; they then began to question whether he were
the Christ or no, since he could not defend himself from his
enemies. Others, more rightly, understand it of their shameful
flight from Christ, seeing it was not now safe to abide longer with
him. That seeing he gave himself into their hands, they thought it
advisable to provide as well as they could for themselves, and
somewhere or other, to take refuge from the present storm, which had
overtaken him. This was the nature and quality of the fact. We
enquire,
Thirdly, Into the grounds and reasons of it. Which were three.
First, God's suspending wonted influences and aids of grace
from them. They were not wont to do so. They never did so
afterwards. They would not have done so now, had there been
influences of power, zeal, and love from heaven upon them. But how
then should Christ have borne the heat and burden of the day? How
should he tread the wine-press alone? How should his sorrows have
been extreme, unmixed, succourless (as it behaved them to be) if
they had stuck faithfully to him in his troubles? No, no, it must
not be; Christ must not have the least relief or comfort from any
creature; and therefore, that he might be left alone, to grapple
hand to hand with the wrath of God, and of men; the Lord for a time
withholds his encouraging, strengthening influences from them; and
then, like Samson when he had lost his locks, they were weak as
other men.
"Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might," saith
the apostle, Eph. 6: 10. If that be with-held, our resolutions and
purposes melt away before a temptation, as snow before the sun.
Secondly, As God permitted it, and with-held usual aid from
them; so the efficacy of that temptation was great, yea, much
greater than ordinary. As they were weaker than they were used to
be, so the temptation was stronger than any they had yet met withal.
It is called, Luke 22: 53. "Their hour and the power of darkness." A
sifting, winnowing hour, ver. 46. O it was a black and cloudy day.
Never had the disciples met with such a whirlwind, such a furious
storm before. The devil desired but to have the winnowing of them in
that day, and so would have sifted and winnowed them, that their
faith had utterly failed, had not Christ secured it by his prayer
for them. So that it was an extraordinary trial that was upon them.
Thirdly and lastly, That which concurred to their shameful
relapse, as a special cause of it, was the remaining corruptions
that were in their hearts yet unfortified. Their knowledge was but
little, and their faith not much. Upon the account of their weakness
in grace, they were called little ones in the text. And as their
graces were weak, so their corruptions were strong. Their unbelief,
and carnal fears grew powerfully upon them.
Do not censure them, reader, in thy thoughts, nor despise them
for this their weakness. Neither say in thy heart, Had I been there
as they were, I would never have done as they did. They thought as
little of doing what they did, as you, or any of the saints do; and
as much did their souls detest and abhor it: but here thou mayest
see, whither a soul that fears God may be carried, if his
corruptions be irritated by strong temptation, and God withholds
usual influences.
Fourthly and lastly, Let us view the issue of this sad apostasy
of theirs. And you shall find it ended far better than it began.
Though these sheep were scattered for a time, yet the Lord made good
his promise, in turning his hand upon these little ones, to gather
them. The morning was over cast, but the evening was clear.
Peter repents of his perfidious denial of Christ, and never
denied him more. All the rest likewise returned to Christ, and never
forsook him any more. He that was afraid at the voice of a damsel,
afterwards feared not the frowns of the mighty. And they that durst
not own Christ now, afterwards confessed him openly before councils,
and rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for his sake,
Acts 5: 41. They that were now as timorous as hares, and started at
every sound, afterward became as bold as lions, and feared not any
danger, but sealed their confession of Christ with their blood. For
though, at this time, they forsook him, it was not voluntarily, but
by surprisal. Though they forsook him, they still loved him; though
they fled from him, there still remained a gracious principle in
them; the root of the matter was still in them, which recovered them
again.
To conclude: Though they forsook Christ, yet Christ never
forsook them: he loved them still; "Go tell the disciples, and tell
Peter, that he goes before you into Galilee," Mark 16: 7. q.d. Let
them not think that I so remember their unkindness, as to own them
no more: No, I love them still.
The use of this is contained in the following inferences.
Inf. 1. Did the disciples forsake Christ, though they had such
strong persuasions and resolutions never to do it? Then we see, That
self-confidence is a sin too incident to the best of men. They
little thought their hearts would have proved so base and deceitful,
as they found them to be when they were tried. "Though all men
forsake thee (saith Peter) yet will not!" Good man, he resolved
honestly, but he knew not what a feather he should be in the wind of
temptation, if God once left him to his own fears.
Little reason have the best of saints to depend upon their
inherent grace, let their stock be as large as it will. The angels
left to themselves, quickly left their own habitations, Jude 6. Upon
which, one well observes, That the best of created perfections, are
of themselves defectible. Every excellency without the prop of
divine preservation, is but a weight which tends to a fall. The
angels in their innocence, were but frail, without God's
sustentation; even grace itself is but a creature, and therefore
purely dependant. It is not from its being and nature, but from the
assistance of something without it, that it is kept from
annihilation. What becomes of the stream, if the fountain supply it
not? What continuance has the reflection in the glass, if the man
that looks into it, turn away his face? The constant supplies of the
Spirit of Jesus Christ, are the food and fuel of all our graces. The
best men will show themselves but men if God leave them. He who has
set them up, must also keep them. It is safer to be humble with one
talent, than proud with ten; yea, better to be an humble worm, than
a proud angel. Adam had more advantage to maintain his station than
any of you. For though he were left to the liberty of his own
mutable and self-determining will; and though he was created
upright, and had no inherent corruption to endanger him, yet he
fell.
And shall we be self confident, after such instances of human
frailty! Alas, Christian! What match art thou for principalities and
powers, and spiritual wickedness! "Be not high-minded, but fear."
When you have considered well the example of Noah, Lot, David, and
Hezekiah, men famous and renowned in their generations, who all fell
by temptations; yea, and that when one would think they had never
been better provided to cope with them. Lot fell after, yea,
presently after the Lord had thrust him out of Sodom, and his eyes
had seen the direful punishment of sin. Hell, as it were, rained
upon them out of heaven. Noah, in like manner, immediately after
God's wonderful, and astonishing preservation of him in the ark;
when he saw a world of men and women, perishing in the floods for
their sins. David, after the Lord had settled the kingdom on him,
which for sin he rent from Saul, and given him rest in his house.
Hezekiah was but just up from a great sickness, wherein the Lord
wrought a wonderful salvation for him. Did such men, and at such
times, when one would think no temptations should have prevailed,
fall; and that so foully? Then "let him that thinks he standeth,
take heed lest he fall." O be not high minded, but fear.
Inf. 2. Did Christ stand his ground, and go through with his
suffering-work, when all that had followed him, forsook him? Then a
resolved adherence to God, and duty, though left alone, without
company or encouragement, is Christ-like, and truly excellent. You
shall not want better company than that which has forsaken you in
the way of God. Elijah complains, 1 Kings 19: 10 "They have forsaken
thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with
the sword; and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to
take it away" And yet all this did not damp or discourage him in
following the Lord; for still he was very jealous for the Lord God
of Hosts.
Paul complains, 2 Tim 4: 16 "At my first answer no man stood by
me, all men forsook me: nevertheless the Lord stood with me." And as
the Lord stood by him, so he stood by his God alone, without any
aids or support from men. How great an argument of integrity is
this! He that professes Christ for company, will also leave him for
company. But to be faithful to God, when forsaken of men; to be a
Lot, in Sodomy a Noah, in a corrupted generation; oh, how excellent
is it! It is sweet to travel over this earth to heaven, in the
company of the saints, that are bound it thither with us, if we can;
but if we can meet no company, we must not be discouraged to go on.
It is not unlike, but before you have gone many steps farther, you
may have cause to say, as one did once, Never less alone, than when
alone.
Inference 3. Did the disciples thus forsake Christ, and yet
were all recovered at last? Then, though believers are not
privileged from backsliding, yet they are secured from final
apostasy and ruin. The new creature may be sick, it cannot die.
Saints may fall, but they shall rise again, Micah 7: 8. The highest
flood, of natural zeal and resolution, may ebb, and be wholly dried
up; but saving grace is "a well of water, still springing up into
everlasting life," John 4: 14. God's unchangeable election, the
frame and constitution of the New Covenant, the meritorious and
prevalent intercession of Jesus Christ, do give the believer
abundant security against the danger of a total and final apostasy.
"My Father, which gave them me, saith Christ, is greater than all:
and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand," John 10:
29.
And again, "The foundation of God standeth sure, having this
seal; the Lord knoweth who are his," 2 Tim. 2: 19. Every person
committed to Christ by the Father, shall be brought by him to the
Father, and not one wanting.
God has also so framed and ordered the new covenant, that none
of those souls, who are within the blessed clasp and bond of it can
possibly be lost. It is settled upon immutable things: and we know
all things are as their foundations be, Heb. 6: 18, 19. Among the
many glorious promises contained in the bundle of promises, this is
one, "I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will
put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me."
And as the fear of God in our hearts, pleads in us against sin,
so our potent intercessor in the heavens pleads for us with the
Father; and by reason thereof, we cannot finally miscarry, Rom. 8:
34, 35. Upon these grounds, we may (as the apostle in the place last
cited does) triumph in that full security which God has given us;
and say, What "shall separate us from the love of God?" Understand
it either of God's to us, as Calvin, Beza, and Martyr do; or of our
love to God, as Ambrose and Augustine do: it is true in both senses,
and a most comfortable truth.
Inference 4. Did the sheep fly, when the shepherd was smitten;
such men, and so many forsake Christ in the trial? Then learn how
sad a thing it is for the best of men to be left to their own carnal
fears in a day of temptation: This was it that made those good men
shrink away so shamefully from Christ in that trial: "The fear of
man brings a snare," Prov. 29: 25. In that snare these good souls
were taken, and for a time held fast.
Oh what work will this unruly passion make, if the fear of God
do not over-rule it! Is it not a shame to a Christian, a man of
faith to see himself out done by an Heathen? Shall natural
conscience and courage make them stand and keep their places in
times of danger; when we shamefully turn our backs upon duty,
because we see duty and danger together?
When the emperor Vespasian had commanded Fluidius Priscus not
to come to the senate; or, if he did, to speak nothing but what he
would have him; the senator returned this brave and noble answer,
"That as he was a senator, it was fit he should be at the senate;
and if, being there, he were required to give his advice, he would
speak freely, that which his conscience commanded him." The emperor
threatening that then he should die; he returned thus, "Did I ever
tell you that I was immortal? Do you what you will, and I will do
what I ought. It is in your power to put me to death unjustly, and
in me to die constantly." O think, what mischief you; fears may do
yourselves, and the discovery of them to others. O learn to trust
God with your lives, liberties, and comforts, in the way of your
duty; and at that time you are afraid trust in him: and do not
magnify poor dust and ashes, as to be scared, by their threat, from
your God and your duty. The politic design of Satan herein, is to
affright you out of your coverts, where you are safe, into the net.
I will enlarge on this no farther; I have elsewhere laid down
fourteen rules for the cure of this, in what of mine is public.
Inf. 5. Learn hence, How much a man may differ from himself,
according as the Lord is with him, or withdrawn from him. The
Christian does not always differ from other men, but sometimes from
himself also: yea, so great is the difference betwixt himself and
himself, as if he were not the same man. And where is he that does
not so experience it? Sometimes bold and courageous, despising
dangers, bearing down all discouragements in the strength of zeal,
and love to God: at another time faint, feeble, and discourage at
every petty thing. Whence is this but from the different
administrations of the Spirit, who sometimes gives forth more, and
sometimes less, of his gracious influence. These very men that
flinched now, when the Spirit was more abundantly shed forth upon
them, could boldly own Christ before the council, and despised all
dangers for his sake.
A little dog, if his master be by, and encourage him, will
venture upon a greater beast than himself. Peter stood at the door
without, when the other disciple, (or one of the other disciples, as
the Syrian turns it, and Grotius approves it as the best), i.e. one
of the private disciples that lived at Jerusalem, went in so boldly,
John 18: 16, 17. We are strong or weak, according to the degrees of
assisting grace. So that as you cannot take the just measure of a
Christian by one act, so neither must they judge of themselves, by
what they sometimes feel in themselves.
But when their spirits are low, and their hearts discouraged,
they should rather say to their souls, "Hope in God, for I shall yet
praise him:" It is low with me now, but it will be better.
Inf. 6. Was the sword drawn against the Shepherd, and he left
alone to receive the mortal strokes of it? How should all adore both
the justice and mercy of God so illustriously displayed herein! Here
is the triumph of divine justice, and the highest triumph that ever
it had, to single forth the chief Shepherd, the man that is God's
fellow, and sheathe its sword in his breast for satisfaction. No
wonder it is drawn and brandished with such a triumph; awake
rejoicingly, O sword, against my Shepherd, &c. For in this blood
shed by it, it has more glory than if the blood of all the men and
women in the world had been shed.
And no less is the mercy and goodness of God herein signalised,
in giving the sword a commission against the Man, his fellow, rather
than against us. Why had he not rather said, awake, O sword, against
the men that are mine enemies; shed the blood of them that have
sinned against me, than smite the Shepherd, and only scatter the
sheep. Blessed be God, the dreadful sword was not drawn and
brandished against our souls; that God did not set it to our
breasts; that he had not made it fat with our flesh, and bathed it
in our blood; that his fellow vas smitten, that his enemies might be
spared. O what manner of love was this! Blessed be God therefore for
Jesus Christ, who received the fatal stroke himself; and has now so
sheathed that sword in its scabbard, that it shall never be drawn
any more against any that believe in him.
Inf. 7. Were the sheep scattered when the Shepherd was smitten?
Learn hence, That the best of men know not their own strength till
they come to the trial. Little did these holy men imagine such a
cowardly spirit had been in them, till temptation put it to the
proof. Let this therefore be a caution for ever to the people of
God. You resolve never to forsake Christ, you do well; but so did
these, and yet were scattered from him. You can never take a just
measure of your own strength, till temptation have tried it. It is
said, Deut. 8: 2. that God led the people so many years in the
wilderness to prove them; and to know them, (i.e. to make them know)
what was in their hearts. Little did they think such unbelief,
murmurings, discontents, and a spirit bent to backslidings, had been
in them; until their straits in the wilderness gave them the sad
experience of these things.
Inf. 8. Did the dreadful sword of divine justice smite the
Shepherd, God's own fellow; and at the same time the flock, from
whom all its outward comforts arose, were scattered from him? Then
learn, That the holiest of men have no reason either to repine or
despond, though God should at once strip them of all their outward
and inward comforts together. He that did this by the man his
fellow, may much rather do it by the man his friend. Smite my
Shepherd: there is all comfort gone from the inward man; Scatter the
sheep; there is all comfort gone from the outward man. What
refreshments had Christ in this world, but such as came immediately
from his Father, or those holy ones now scattered from him? In one
day he loseth both heavenly and earthly comforts. Now, as God dealt
by Christ, he may, at one time or other, deal with his people. You
have your comforts from heaven; so had Christ, in a fuller measure
than ever you had, or can have. He had comforts from his little
flock; you have your comforts from the society of the saints, the
ordinances of God, comfortable relations, &c. Yet none of these are
so firmly settled upon you, but you may be left destitute of them
all in one day. God did take all comfort from Christ, both outward
and inward; and are we greater than he? God sometimes takes outward,
and leaves inward comfort; sometimes he takes inward, and leaves
outward comfort: but the time may come, when God may strip you of
both.
This was the case of Job, a favourite of God, who was blessed
with outward and inward comforts; yet a time came when God stripped
him of all, and made him poor to a proverb, as to all outward
comfort; and the venom of his arrows drank up his spirit, and the
inward comforts thereof.
Should the Lord deal thus wish any of you, how seasonable and
relieving will the following considerations be?
First. Though the Lord deal thus with you, yet this is no new
thing; he has so dealt with others, yea with Jesus Christ that was
his fellow. If these things were done in the green tree, in him that
never deserved it for any sin of his own, how little reason have we
to complain? Nay,
Secondly. Therefore did this befell Jesus Christ before you,
that the like condition might be sanctified to you, when you shall
be brought into it. For therefore did Jesus Christ pass through such
varieties of conditions, on purpose that he might take away the
curse, and leave a blessing in those conditions, against the time
that you should come into them. Moreover,
Thirdly, Though inward comforts and outward comforts were both
removed from Christ, in one day, yet he wanted not support in the
absence of both. How relieving a consideration is this! John 16: 32.
"Behold, (saith he) the hour comes, yea, is now come that ye shall
be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone; and
yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me." With me by way
of support, when not by way of comfort. Thy God, Christian, can in
like manner support thee, when all sensible comforts shrink away
together from thy soul and body in one day.
Lastly, It deserves a remark, that this comfortless forsaken
condition of Christ, immediately preceded the day of his greatest
glory and comfort. Naturalists observe, the greatest darkness is a
little before the dawning of the morning. It was so with Christ, it
may be so with thee. It was but a little while and he had better
company than theirs that forsook him. Act therefore your faith upon
this, that the most glorious light usually follows the thickest
darkness. The louder your groans are now, the louder your triumphs
hereafter will be. The horror of your present, will but add to the
lustre of your future state.
(continued in file 29...)
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file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/epl-09: flafn-28.txt
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