A SERMON,
BY THE LATE REV. LACHLAN MACKENZIE, LOCHCARRON.
“For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty; and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring; and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water-courses. One shall say, I am the Lord’s; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.—(Is. xlv. 3-5).
THE Lord’s people are a fearful people, ready very often to sink in their minds, notwithstanding the great things He does for them. But though fearful and faint-hearted persons, when they see themselves alone, yet bold as a lion when the Captain of Salvation goes before them. What makes them give way to thoughts of unbelief and despondency, is the feeling they have of a carnal, dry, unclean heart; not only destitute of grace, but likewise full of wickedness and sin. They find nothing in themselves upon which they can build any ground of comfort. In order, therefore, to strengthen the hearts of His people, the divine promises are scattered throughout the Word. The precious portion of Scripture now read is fraught with joy and consolation to the “mourners in Zion”—”to those who are in the dark and have no light”—to those who see their need of, and would wish to have an interest in, that precious thing called grace. Here, indeed, there are sweet and gracious promises given—not to those who have such and such qualifications; to these, such promises, sweet as they are, would be superfluous; they find no need of them—but to the thirsty, to those who are compared to dry and parched ground, and consequently see their need of Christ.
In speaking further upon this subject,
I. I shall, by divine assistance, mention the characters to whom these promises are made.
II. I shall explain to you the precious promises just now read.
III. I shall show you the fruits or effects of these promises in the persons who are concerned in them.
Lastly, make a short improvement.
I. I shall, in the first place, point out to you the characters to whom these promises are made. All the promises are centred in Christ. “In Him they are yea, and in Him amen, to the glory of God.” There are some promises which were made to Christ alone, others to Christ and the Church, and others to the Church alone. And it requires some spiritual light and knowledge in the Word of God to distinguish them. Only let it be observed that all the promises made to Christ Himself, though applicable to Him in the highest sense, yet, in a secondary sense, belong to His Church and people.
Although Christ, as I observed already, is included in every promise, I shall speak of it here as it applies to the Church. The Lord speaks comfort to her in these words, by the name of Jacob and Israel. The one is a name of weakness, the other of power. Esau’s observation upon Jacob’s name was that he was rightly so called, inasmuch as he had supplanted him twice, first of his birthright and then of his blessing. The name of Israel he obtained when he had power over the angel, and prevailed. Israel signifieth one that hath prevailed—a Prince with God. The Church in herself is weak and frail, and can do nothing, but when she, by faith in her glorious Redeemer, layeth hold upon God, she always prevaleth; for we “are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”
If we apply them to Christ they may point out to us His state of wrestling and sufferings, and His obtaining the victory over His and our enemies; and in consequence of this, His obtaining a “name above every name, both in heaven and in earth.”
II. The second thing proposed was, to explain to you the precious promises just now read. “I will pour water upon him that is thirsty.” By water we are to understand the salutary influences of the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. These He shall communicate to the soul who is in distress, who sees his great need of Christ as a Saviour. As water refreshes the weary traveller fatigued with heat and panting with thirst, just so the glad tidings of salvation bring joy to the sinner’s soul. Grace is a most precious thing, and when the Lord means to bestow it, He puts a strong desire in the soul after it. Indeed, this unfeigned desire is a degree of grace, and such as ask sincerely will be sure to obtain. Thirst is the strongest and most impatient of all our appetites. It has, if I may so express myself, neither patience nor shame, but must be satisfied. It is like Rachel about children, “Give me children or else I die.” The spiritual thirst says the same of Christ; the language of it is, Give me Christ or else I die. Almighty God has not implanted any natural passion in vain. There is some correspondent object to satisfy it. He has implanted in us a desire for meat and drink, and if He had not appointed meat and drink to satisfy this natural desire, He would be mocking his creatures, and tantalising their hopes. In our natural desires, however, there may be, and often is, an irregularity; and the Lord is not obliged always to answer them. But as for our spiritual desires, they are never in vain—they will, they must be satisfied. What does our Lord Himself say of this spiritual thirst? John vii. 37—”If any man thirst, let Him come unto Me and drink”; and again, Rev. xxii. 17—”And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that is athirst come; and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
“And floods upon the dry ground.” The soul may not only be thirsty, but even like a piece of dry, parched ground. There may be not only a sense of need, of great, inexpressible need, but likewise a feeling of great misery. The soul may be hard, dry, and barren like a rock or a piece of hardened ground. In some such situation was King David’s soul, in the wilderness of Judah. He makes a comparison of the place he was in, to show the state of his soul. “My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.” King David was then locked up from the means. But it may happen that a Christian shall enjoy the means, and yet find himself hard under them. In such a case let him bring himself under the promise in my text. Pitiable as such a situation is, others have been in the like, and have found relief through the promise. What is the language of such a soul? I have not a spark of grace. Why, then, if such be thy case, come to Christ. Oh, but says the soul, I have a hard heart—I cannot pray—if I could have freedom to pray—if I could shed a tear—if I could open my heart to my God, I were happy. Is this your case? Poor soul, you are the very person for whom the promise is made, and to whom the words in my text are directed. Your heart is a very wilderness—perfectly hard, and without sense of feeling. Hear the promise made to such, Isa. xxxi. 6, 7—”For in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert; and the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty lands springs of water.” Nay, there is comfort for a case still more deplorable, Isa. xli. 17, 18—”When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry lands springs of water.” Perhaps you cannot pray; you find your heart hard, and you cannot find a word to say. You are the very person described in my text. You would wish to pray but you cannot do it. Why, then, He shall not only give you a drink to quench your thirst, but He shall even pour floods upon you. A single shower would not do. You have a long drought. He will rain plentifully—He will pour a flood upon you. When you get relief, whatever time it be, your comfort shall be large and your peace lasting. When the Lord’s heritage is weary, He shall send a plentiful rain to confirm it. And in consequence of this hardness, the corruptions may be gathering strength in the soul; and awful and horrid thoughts may arise in the heart. The Lord therefore promises that He will take this likewise away; for, says He, “I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and My blessing upon thine offspring.” The Holy Ghost the Comforter is promised to all the people of God. His office is not only to convince of sin, but likewise to strengthen the soul. Pardon of sin is the great blessing which the Redeemer has purchased for His people; it is whispered to the conscience by the blessed Spirit, through the Word. The Word speaks peace to all that forsake sin and turn to God. But although we be reconciled, and although the Word speaketh peace, yet that peace may not be intimated to the conscience. The true Christian will be afraid of a false peace, and can never take peace till he sees his warrant from the Word of God. The Spirit shines upon the promise, and makes him see that it belongs to him. This He does by breaking the power of unbelief, and by convincing the conscience of the truth of the promise, as He formerly convinced him of the truth of the threatening. The law says to the conscience, Thou art a sinner. The Spirit shines upon the Word to the soul—”That the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to save lost sinners.” In some such way the blessed Spirit speaks peace to the soul. And the sinner ought to be diligent in the means of grace, and in examination of his conscience. And if he cannot find good and holy qualifications within himself, he cannot deny at any rate, but he can find in himself qualities that will give room to precious Christ to show Himself a Saviour. If, instead of holiness, he finds nothing but the leprosy of sin, he can apply to the Saviour in the words of the poor leper formerly—”Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.” If he find himself hard, without repentance, he can tell his Saviour that he has heard about Him, “that He was exalted as a Prince and Saviour to give repentance to Israel, and the forgiveness of sins.” If he finds unbelief working, he may say, “Lord, I would wish to believe; help my unbelief.” Whatever corruption is working within him, a touch of the power of Christ can cure him. Let us only endeavour to believe, for to such all things are possible.
III. The third thing proposed was to show the fruits or effects of these promises in the persons who are concerned in them—”They shall spring up as among the grass—as willows by the water-courses.” Nothing shoots forth quicker than the grass, when the rain and the dew falls upon it; and of all trees and vegetables, none has such a quick growth as the willow by the water-courses. In such manner shall be the growth and progress of the true Christian when his soul is revived with the dew and rain from above. “He shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine—his branches shall spread—his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.” It is in the nature of grace to grow, but like every other seed, it requires the rain, and when the showers from above are withheld, it will begin to droop and wither; but when refreshed with the heavenly dew, it will “bud and blossom as the rose.” And as it is in nature, so it is likewise in grace; sometimes the dews fall and revive the vegetable creation, and yet the nicest ear cannot hear them—the sharpest eye cannot see them. At other times the rain distills in small drops; sometimes in large, refreshing showers, and sometimes even in storms and tempests. But in whatever manner the rain falls upon the earth, it is sure to do good. In like manner, some are brought from darkness to light by imperceptible degrees—by the blessing of God upon a pious education; some are turned from sin to righteousness in their younger years, but without any sensible terrors; others again are brought to Mount Sinai; they are brought home by the thunder and lightning of the law, set home with all its terrors upon their consciences, before they close with Christ in the promise. But whatever way they come, happy are they who are found in Christ. They shall spring as the grass, as the willows by the water-courses. They shall grow in grace, and proceed from strength to strength, until they appear perfect at last before God in Sion. And they shall give proofs of this their growth in grace.
“For one shall say, I am the Lord’s.” That is, he shall lay claim to Christ—he shall come to the Redeemer, and close with Him by the faith of the gospel. He comes to Christ, and shall not be cast out. If he cannot say that Christ is his, at least he will essay to say that he is Christ’s. Though he cannot say with full assurance that Christ loves him, yet he can say with Peter that he loves Christ. If he cannot say that Christ has drawn him, yet he can say with humility, “Draw me, we will run after Thee.” He will be pleading with the Lord, that He is a merciful God. Though the Lord be refusing him, yet will he, with the woman of Canaan, be always pursuing him (Matt. xv. 22-28). That blessed woman could not then say, Christ is mine, but yet she pleads kindness—she urges her suit—continues her importunity, and at last obtains her request. The soul must do the same—he must be always about the Saviour’s hands—always throwing himself at His feet—always wrestling against unbelief, and never give over till he obtains the victory. The Lord will give the blessing to his child; but the child must wrest it, as it were, out of His hands. The Lord, it is true, promises “to sprinkle clean water upon his people”—”to give them a new heart, and take away the heart of stone; but yet will He be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them.” The words in my text are very easily repeated, “I am the Lord’s,” but let me assure you, it costs a struggle to believe them, and repeat them by faith. Some people think faith a very easy matter. With the Apostle, I am of a very different opinion. It is called a warfare, and so indeed it is. To lay hold upon Christ, and keep the grip upon experience, will be found a hard pull: Scripture and the sense of feeling in the people of God say so.
“And another shall call himself by the name of Jacob.” He shall adjoin himself to the Church and people of God. To enjoy the privilege of worshipping God with His people, in spirit and in truth, is the great happiness of every true Israelite. To be an Israelite, and to be a member of the Church, are synonymous terms. The Church is the mystical body of Christ, and it is faith which can make us true members thereof.
“And another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.” When a person gives his consent to any bargain or contract, he signs or subscribes it. To subscribe with the hand unto the Lord is as much as to give consent to the terms of the everlasting Covenant. When a woman marries, she takes her husband’s name. The soul gives its consent to Christ, and is called by His name. The smallest degree of grace or faith must acquiesce in the Covenant, as well ordered in all things, and sure.
We must give our will up to the Lord, and allow Him to do His own will with us. One of the terms of the Covenant to which we thus subscribe is that if we go astray, He will chastise us with the rod. We must kiss the rod and humble ourselves when we are the Lord’s, and subscribe with our hand unto Him; this implies that we must be holy, as He is holy, for without this necessary qualification we cannot enjoy Him here or hereafter. “The Lord knoweth those who are His”; and the leading feature in their character is that they depart from iniquity. We are by nature destitute of holiness, and cannot acceptably perform any duty. By subscribing, however, to the Lord we resign ourselves to Him, in order to be sanctified. It is in the lowest posture of humility and resignation we must receive grace. However, after all our efforts, we find by experience that our holiness is not complete, that we have not attained Christian perfection. Every true Christian is perfect in his wish—in his aim—in his endeavour. In plain language, he would be perfect if he could.
Now, as we cannot satisfy the law for what is past, as inherent holiness is imperfect, and as sin cleaves to our best duties, blessed be God that the Covenant has provided us with a better righteousness than our own. To this righteousness we must subscribe, and appear before our God in the bright robes of our Redeemer’s obedience. In order to obtain the blessing, we must put on our Elder Brother’s garment. Holiness qualifies for heaven, but the obedience of precious Christ is our charter. To say that the one takes away the necessity of the other is to talk nonsense. The truth is that such as prize the one will make conscience of the other. I shall not now dispute whether the wedding garment means grace in the soul or imputed righteousness. I believe both may be meant; for my part I cannot separate them in idea. It is our duty to have faith, repentance, humility, and love, and the other graces of the Holy Spirit; and though we possessed them, we could not urge them as our plea for acceptance. Sometimes a cloud may arise upon the mind; darkness and deadness, dryness and hardness, may possess the heart. In such a case we must not despond, while we can look to the righteousness of Christ. Like a man of property, though he may lose his goods, his charter is registered, and his estate may be safe. Let us cultivate holiness, but never lose sight of our Redeemer’s obedience. He is the Rock of Ages—His obedience procured the Holy Ghost for us—the Holy Ghost is the author of our holiness, and holiness is the source of our happiness. “What God hath joined together let no man put asunder.” It is impossible to cultivate holiness without employing Christ. And for what purpose should we employ Him, if our obedience were complete, and if our own righteousness were not as filthy rags? The truth is, if we saw ourselves in our proper colours we should pant after holiness as the spiritual health of our souls—after Christ’s righteousness as the foundation of our hopes and happiness. Let us understand these precious doctrines aright, and they will have the most salutary effects upon our moral conduct. Christ is our physician, holiness our health; will we say that our health is what procured us our inheritance?
In a few words, we must come to Christ as sinners, and subscribe with our hand unto the Lord; we must prove that we have been sincere in doing so, by living soberly, righteously, and godly in this world, and adorning the Gospel of the Saviour who bought us.
IV. I shall now, in the last place, make some observations upon what has been said, by way of improvement.
First, then, we have heard that the people of God may find themselves hard, and may be even so under the means of grace. Let us examine ourselves to find out the cause; perhaps we may be indulging some sin against the remonstrance of conscience; this will cause hardness, and cause the Spirit to withdraw. Let us therefore beware of this, and listen to the divine Monitor within. But, perhaps, God in His sovereignty may be trying us with hardness, with a view to try our faith and patience as He tried holy Job formerly. We may not be conscious of any sin that might occasion our hardness, nor was he. In this case let us wait upon God, and carry our hardness to Christ; He will soften us, and cause all this work for our good.
To conclude. You find yourself empty. Poor soul! You are hard and dry; you are filthy and unclean; your soul is polluted with the leprosy of sin! Come, then, to the refreshing streams of the sanctuary! Come to the water of life; come to Christ in the sacrament, just as you are! Take what you get, and be thankful. How do you feel yourself? A sinner? Very well; here is a Saviour. Perhaps you do not find yourself soft enough; come away, then, this water will soften and sanctify. He promises repentance; depend upon it, He will perform His word. Are you foul and filthy? You are welcome to Christ: His blood can cleanse you: He reaches His fair hand to you: reach forward your black, filthy, foul hand: He will not refuse you. Are you afraid of this? you need not. His word, His very oath, is engaged to receive you. Whatever be your disease, He can give you a cure; whatever is your want, He can give you supply. Come forward; come as you are; come, and welcome to precious Christ. Whoever comes truly will not be cast out; let him take the water of life freely. All things are ready, come to the marriage. “Come,” says the Wisdom of God, “eat of My bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.”