BY THE LATE REV. JOHN SINCLAIR, BRUAN, CAITHNESS.
PREACHED ON 15TH, 22ND, 29TH MARCH, 1840.
(Continued from page 170.)
“Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”—JOHN iv. 10.
YOU will remember the three things for which God gave the gift of His only begotten Son in covenant:—
I. To fulfil the requirements of the covenant of works by price. “He was made under the law to redeem them that were under the law.”
II. To deliver them by power out of the state of spiritual death and bondage. “For a covenant to say to the prisoners, Go forth.”
III. To be a new covenant surety to keep them by grace from falling away again. “The surety of a better testament” or covenant.
The first of these the Son has already finished for all who shall be saved. “By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” “It is finished.” But no one can know whether the Son has finished the work for him in particular, till He do the second. When He has opened the graves then “ye shall know that I am the Lord.” Now we mentioned several steps by which He brings them out in the day of power,
and as they are not the same steps in every respect in all, we gave some marks to be found in all.
I. A true hatred of sin. This is a sure mark because we naturally love sin, and until renewed, we have no hatred of sin. “The carnal mind is enmity against God.” “All they that hate me (wisdom) love death,” not death directly for itself, but sin which brings death. They “love darkness.” It is not sin, but the love of sin which destroys the soul. So when Paul could say, “What I hate that do I,” then he could also thank God through Christ that he would be delivered from sin at last. None are delivered fully from the being of sin here, for no man living sinneth not, but the believer is delivered from the love of sin. “What have I to do any more with idols?”
We find the following marks upon them who hate sin truly.
(1) They hate all sin. “I hate every false way.” This must be, because they have a respect to all the commandments written in their hearts, and they have a love to all holiness. They desire to be “whiter than the snow.” They desire not merely what would make them escape hell and attain heaven, but they desire to be altogether holy.
(2) They hate what the world calls little sins, such as sins of heart. “I hate vain thoughts.” They have to hate what the world hardly thinks to be sin. “Flee also fleshly lusts which war against the soul.” They have to cry, “My soul is weary because of murderers.” This must be, because the heart is the fountain of sin, “Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, etc.” No hatred of open sin will evidence the new work, because a new heart is required. Hence they are groaning when others think them eminently holy.
(3) They have a holy self-jealousy of secret sin which they never saw. “Cleanse me from secret faults.” They have found “the heart deceitful above all things.” They cannot easily appeal to good intentions. While some sin is prevailing they think they are given over to sin for some unknown evil. Hence they are constantly examining themselves, and crying for light to see themselves. “Oh, what if I am deceived?” Even Paul was afraid lest he should be a castaway.
(4) They mourn for sin even when in hope of pardon, and after some tokens for good they are ashamed. “O wretched man that I am!” In Christ, they are not condemned. Yet they are filled with shame and self-loathing. They say not, “I have paid my vows.” The nearer they get to the cross of Christ in hope, the more of this hatred of sin, though less bondage of fear. A fearful pardon that makes sin sweet! “They shall look upon him and mourn.” The blood of Christ is good to cool a burning conscience, but fearful sugar to sweeten sin. Fearful that His blood should be counted an unholy thing and employed to give peace in sin.
(5) They hate sin in others. “Rivers of waters run down from mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.” Hence it is an evil saying, “They do hurt to none but themselves.” Is any sin no injury to God? Does it not damn an immortal soul? Then it is
not a light thing. That sight of sin is of the right kind when it brings sighs and cries. Christ had a burden because of this. He sought the glory of God, and they have the mind of Christ. They have the Holy Ghost in them. (6) They hate the company of sinners. “I have hated the congregation of evil doers and will not sit with the wicked.”—(Psalm xxvi. 5.) There is something in their very spirit that rises against it, and further than the transaction of business, the discharge of duty, or the obligations of relationship, they cannot enjoy the company of the wicked. Not merely have they a sight of the inconsistency of mixing in their company, but a feeling of the hurt to God and the soul at the time and afterwards. (7) They have as great a desire to be freed from the dominion and pollution of sin, as from its guilt and condemnation.—(Psalm li. throughout.) Christ died not merely to free the soul from guilt, but also to sanctify and cleanse it. He took hold of them for this purpose, and they press to apprehend that for which they are apprehended. Salvation from guilt would be but half. He saves from sin as well as wrath. (8) They have greater fear of sin than of suffering. “If any man come to me and hate not father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”—(Luke xv. 26, 27.) So with Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshech, Abednego, Paul, and other disciples. The words include not only great men, but “If any man, etc.” They consider sin whatever the word marks to be sin.
II. Separation from self-righteousness. “As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse.” Then, unless severed from dependence in these we can have no salvation. We are thus separated: (1) If fully convinced of the insufficiency of our own righteousness. “All our righteousness but filthy rags,” not some but all. Not one clean rag. Sin mixed with all. And if clean, it would be but a rag, imperfect. They are as much afraid of being left in duties as in sins. They have a sight of the unbending justice of God, and see that only what is perfect will do. True, imperfect duties will evidence grace, but will not satisfy justice. And theirs are only marks and preparations, no satisfactions to justice. (2) If bent after the righteousness of Christ by faith. So Paul, “not having mine own righteousness, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”—(Phil. iii. 9.) Persons may see they are wanting righteousness, and yet are not seeking it. But when real want is seen, nakedness to righteousness and judgment, it will make them look about them for a shelter. (3) Therefore, they are put on duties, not to rest in them, but to find Christ. “I press toward the mark.” They seek to find Him by God’s appointed means of finding. Here no known duty is omitted, as no known sin is committed. They are not free from sin, and so duties are not perfectly performed. But as they would be perfectly free from
sin, so they would perfectly perform duties, if they could. “Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.” “Walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless,” not omitting any. (4) If Christ be the only food in them to the soul. So they go not only to God’s altar but to Himself. “I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified.” The cross of Christ is of high value now. He is all in all. Ignorant, guilty, polluted, captives: what can meet their case but Christ? All is lost empty dishes without Him to a thirsty and hungry soul. When the child is seeking the breast, all toys are dashed away. So here. (5) If delivered from building on the applause of others. “How can ye believe who receive honour one of another?” They do not value the approbation of men, except as rested on the Word, and then in virtue of God’s own authority. “Whose praise is of God.”
III. Deliverance from our own faith. Seeing the fulness of Christ, we think there is nothing to do but believe. And indeed faith is all that is necessary, but we have it not. Many are perishing here. Now faith is the gift of God. It is of the operation of the Spirit, and that operation of almighty power, such as wrought in Christ Jesus when God raised him from the dead. But all say they are seeking the Spirit. Therefore, let us examine first, whether we have been convinced of the sin of unbelief and our inability to believe. “Of sin because they believe not in me.”
Ninth Outline.—The first work for which Christ was given is completely fulfilled. “It is finished.” The second is going on. He is sitting at the right hand, “to give repentance and the forgiveness of sins.” He is continually making intercession for His people. He is still loosening prisoners by giving repentance and issuing pardons in new cases and to them already brought in. Hence it is written, “Thy seed shall endure for ever, and thy throne to all generations.”—(Ps. lxxxix. 4, 29-36.) Hence, when the gates of hell seem opened to swallow up all, they shall not prevail. The psalmist in haste said, “All men are liars.” Learn (1) Some men are good even now. The Church may be low, but not extinct. All are not hypocrites. (2) “Try the spirits.” Take them not on credit. Many false spirits are gone out into the world. Wolves put on sheep’s clothing. Try them by the Word. (3) Join the true people. “We will go with you.” “The Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel.” Better to be among fleeing Israel than with time-triumphing Pharaoh. (4) Be one of them. Not a foolish virgin, shut out when the door is shut. “Let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant.” “The servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the Son abideth ever.”
The third work for which Christ was given is to be a covenant, a better covenant for them. This is begun when He, having said to them, Go forth, from the love of sin, self-righteousness, natural faith and their own spirits, brings them as self-destroyed, helpless, hell-deserving sinners to rest on Christ alone for salvation on His
own terms. When the Spirit’s almighty power brings them to this, the work will never end. Among the privileges they receive are the following:—
I.—Justification. This we find joined to repentance. “For to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.” “Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations.”—(Luke xxiv. 47.) Also it is written, “Whom he called, them he also justified.”—(Rom. viii. 30.) Justification contains two things: (1) The pardon of all sin. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.”—(Eph. i. 7). “Thou hast covered all their sin.”—(Ps. lxxxv. 2.) “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities.”—(Ps. ciii. 3.) This must be because they receive a whole Christ, and all their iniquities were laid on Him. From this time forward not one sin is laid to their account, as against the covenant of works, so as to bring condemnation. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” (2) The imputation of righteousness. They are “made the righteousness of God” in Christ. They are not only held innocent, as if they had never sinned by breaking what the law forbids, but as righteous in covenant, as if they had fulfilled all the law’s commands. This is wonderful. Their pardon and righteousness both depend entirely on Christ, and these blessings are received by faith. Works are the evidence, not the ground, of their justification. They are “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.”
II.—Peace with God. “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God.” Justification by faith is the root of all the other privileges. The convinced sinner knows he is guilty, and that “God is angry with the wicked,” the unjustified, “every day.” But now, the guilt being removed, there is peace. (1) It is a solid peace. “My peace I give unto you.” It rests on Christ’s peace with the Father. The Father was angry, but now His anger is turned away. It is a very sure peace. “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.”—(Is. liv. 10.) This is because “the chastisement of our peace was laid upon him.”—(Is. liii. 5.) Therefore Christ is called the Prince of Peace. (2) A friendly peace. “Ye are my friends.” “Henceforth I shall call you not servants but friends.” God will do good to them by all things as their friend. The treaty is not one of mere forbearance but of the purest friendship. (3) A loving peace. “The Father himself loveth you.” Sometimes they have drops of this love shed abroad in their hearts, other times it is concealed from them. The Lord said, “My dear son, Ephraim,” even when seemingly angry. (4) An everlasting peace. “I will not be wroth with thee any more.” He may chasten them, but only to keep the peace, not to break the peace. (5) A fruitful
peace. This it is in three things, to “bruise Satan” (Rom. xvi. 20), to “sanctify you wholly” (1 Thess. v. 23), and to “make you perfect.”—(Heb. xiii. 20.)
III. Adoption into the family of God, never to be put out. “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.”—(Eph. i. 5.) Adam was the son of God by creation, but he lost the image of God. In Christ’s adopting flesh His people are adopted to an inseparable union. (1) It is a rightful adoption. “To as many as received him to them gave he power (a right) to become the sons of God.” No creature can object. Only receive the Son of God, and then you have a right to become a son. (2) A fruitful adoption. 1. They receive the nature of children. “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”—(Gal. iv. 6.) It was at the time of deepest distress that Jesus so cried (Mark xiv. 34). And so also see Romans viii. 15-26. The Spirit brings them in distress to Him as their only refuge. “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.” The child in its trouble goes to the father. 2. The nursing of children. “As new born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby.” The doctrine and the promise of the Gospel are the two breasts to feed them.—(Isa. lxvi. 11). Others may feed on any trash, but not so the children. 3. The education of children. “They shall be all taught of the Lord.” They have the guidance of the Spirit into all truth. None else but the Spirit can teach so as to make the soul to learn. He not only gives the lesson, but power to learn it. “And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.”—(Jer. xxiv. 7). If He would not give this heart, they would be “ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 4. The correction of children. “If ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons.” “As many as I love I rebuke and chasten.”—(Rev. iii. 19.) First, their correction is from love. It is not in wrath, though they may think and fear it is so. “Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.” Chastisement is a mark of His love. Secondly, it is for profit. He chastiseth “for our profit.” He never gives a stripe or stroke too many, nor in a wrong way. Thirdly, it is to make us partakers of His holiness.—(Heb. xii.) He corrects them only to fit them for heaven. He learns them His law so that they may not go astray. In faithfulness to their souls, He rebukes by His Word and chastises by His rod. 5. The inheritance of children. “If children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.” On His right, they enter into the inheritance and abide there for evermore. He hath said, “They shall sit with me on my throne.” He has prepared many mansions for them, and they are begotten to “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away.”—(1 Peter i. 4.)
IV. Communion with God. He hears their prayers. “Truly our fellowship is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ.” “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” He hears their prayers because:—(1) They have an advocate. The advocate knows their case. And as an advocate He does not plead only according to His client’s knowledge, but according to His own knowledge of the law. (2) He pleads His own merits, not theirs. He pleads His own blood. “I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work thou gavest me to do.” (3) He does not always tell them of His success at the time. He hears long, but keeps them in waiting upon Him. (4) So He sends forth His Spirit in their hearts, the Holy Ghost. It is good hearing on His part that keeps praying on theirs. (5) But He will come speedily, as birds flying, though He tarry long. What! Tarry long, and yet come speedily. He will come at last in surprise when they think all is gone, and He will hear no more.
V. Sanctification. Christ is made of God unto us sanctification.—(1 Co. i. 30.) This work is laid in conviction of sin, sorrow, and denial to self-righteousness and their own spirit. They seek to get free of all sin, and to attain to all holiness. (1) They were chosen to salvation through sanctification of the spirit. (2) The will of God is their sanctification. (3) It is the end of Christ’s coming. (4) It is His prayer. (5) The desire of angels. (6) The desire of good men. (7) Their own desire. Their cry is, “Cleanse me, wash me, purge me.” None are against it but the devil, the world, and the flesh.
May the Lord, in mercy, enable me to amplify and apply the above, and to apply Himself by the Spirit for Christ’s sake, and to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost be all praise through Christ. Amen.
Tenth Outline.—In speaking of the third thing for which God gave the gift of His only begotten Son, namely, to be an everlasting covenant to them who are made by the mighty power of the Holy Ghost to believe in Him according to that word, “By so much was Jesus made the surety of a better testament” or covenant, which is an everlasting covenant, we said—I. He is made their justification. This in two things. (1) The pardon of all sin. His blessed being was laid in the balance against all their sins, as if they had done what He did. (2) The imputation of perfect righteousness. They are “made the righteousness of God in Him.” Their justification is complete. It does not rest on anything in themselves either before or after they believe. Therefore Paul, long a believer, desires to be found in Christ’s righteousness. Here the exercise of faith keeps the looks clear, and the exercise of a spiritual mind keeps the peace. Then II. Peace with God. III. Adoption. IV. Communion with God. V. Sanctification.
VI. Some things in which He is available in covenant to them in death. (1) As to natural or temporal death, they shall not die till He sees fit. “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold,
I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death.”—(Rev. i. 18.) In the covenant of works, no sinner has any assurance of life, of being out of hell for a moment, according to Deut. xxviii. 66, but since Christ suffered eternal death in effect for His people, He has the keys of hell and of death. All power in heaven and earth is given to Him. No accident, no sickness, no disease can befall them till His time. “The very hairs of their head are all numbered.” Further, “Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field; and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.”—(Job v. 23.) He promises to “make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground” to be at peace and to supply them (Hosea ii. 18.) Though they know not the time of death, He knows and watches. (2) They shall not die till they are ready. So it is written, “He will present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but holy and without blemish.”—(Eph. v. 27.) They may die sudden or lingeringly, and as in themselves without actual preparation, but not as in Him without habitual preparation. (1) He prepares them Himself. So He sanctifies, cleanses, washes them. (2) He makes them prepare. “Prepare thyself.” “The Lamb’s wife hath made herself ready.” “They have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” They do these things by employing Him, and so they say, “Thou hast wrought all our works in us.”—(Isa. xxix. 12.) “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you.”—(Phil. ii. 12, 13.) The Holy Ghost applies Christ’s blood and righteousness to their souls, and keeps them applying the same by faith.
(3) He takes out the sting of death. “O death, where is thy sting?” It is on the subject of Christ’s rising from the dead that the Apostle sings over death. The arm of the holy law pierces the soul of every unbeliever with sin, giving him an everlasting lease of sin, the poison of wrath, ever gnawing the soul. But there is no sin for the law to fix on in them.
(4) They die in Christ. 1. They die in His blood, free from guilt. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” It is then the full efficacy of His blood will be known, when their garments are made white. 2. In His righteousness. When they come thither, they will be clothed not in their own filthy rags, but in the wedding garment. Neither Father, Son, Spirit, law, angel, nor saint will refuse admission to one robbed in Christ’s righteousness, the livery of heaven. 3. In His loved and loving embraces. “Arise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.” He loved them with the love of salvation when in their sins, but oh, what sweet embraces of love when His fair one will have no spots or blemish, either imputed or inherent! 4. They shall die blessed. “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.” They are blessed of the Father, of the Son, and of the
Spirit. All the angels and saints bless them. Then who can curse whom He has blessed? Balaam could not, even when they were on the earth.
VII. The last thing we mention in His being an everlasting covenant for them is their confirmation through Him in holiness and happiness through all eternity. “Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me; for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” See John xvii. 21, and following verses. Here the union between the Father and the Son, and the love between them are compared to the union and love between Christ and believers. He says, He gives them His glory. What will He deny them that is for their good?
We observe—(1) They shall never sin any more, “As in Adam all die, so in Christ all shall be made alive.” He is their covenant head, and not themselves. As they were one with Adam, so now they are one with Christ. Christ stands for them. The enemy attacked Adam as the head, but now he will be bound for ever and ever. They shall carry no fragment of the old sinful nature with them thither. Nothing that defileth can enter there. Not only nothing unclean, but no thing that defileth, no inclination to sin. They are conformed to Christ, like Him in soul and body, “His servants shall serve Him.” They shall be capable of keeping the whole law as Adam’s seed would have been, if he stood. The time of trial for him is over, and their time will be over at death. There can no tempter enter heaven. He is cast into hell. They have nothing to defile them with themselves, no carnality, not a wandering thought. They cannot become rebels as the fallen angels did, because “they are partakers of the divine nature.” This nature is begun in their souls here, and it never sinned. “It is no more I that do it.” There shall be no sin dwelling in them to excite to sin. If it were not for the old nature, they would not sin here, but there will be no old nature there. Nothing but a pure stream of the water of life, and fruit every month. No forbidden fruit will be there, only the tree of life, none of good and evil. Their drawing continually and eternally new supplies from Him keeps His nature in them, and them safe.
(2) They shall suffer no more in soul or body. “There shall be no more curse.”—(Rev. xxii. 3). “Nor death, sorrow, crying, pain.”—(Rev. xxi. 4.) No more fear in the understanding, guilt in the conscience, nothing to cross the will, to cause the affections to loathe, to annoy the memory, to harass the imagination. There will be no pain or sickness in body. “The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick.”—(Isa. xxxiii. 24.)
(3) They shall serve Him fully. They shall keep all the commandments. These are written in their hearts, and there will be no law in the members warring against them. Their bodies shall never weary, and their souls shall never be cloyed.
(4) They shall enjoy Him in unutterable felicity. “Eye hath
not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them who love him.” His power shall then be glorious to them, His wisdom satisfying, His holiness sweet, His justice full of comfort, His goodness filling, and His truth most precious. All the Divine attributes shall just be what they would wish in Christ. The place and the company will be their delight. All this they shall enjoy for ever.
Application I. Is any afraid of death? Hasten to Him who has the keys of hell and of death. It is easy to be hardened against fear while health and strength last, but remember death made the Mediator to be in agony, very sorrowful, and very heavy. Now He has made it light for His people. All the gates of death are open till we are brought to Him. No gate but will be the gate of hell, unless we are in Christ. Be sure you are in Him by the new birth. II. Be ye ready also. Those He makes ready, He makes themselves prepare. (1) Try to put your house in order, and seek that it be kept in order. (2) Finish your work whatever relative duty to God or men. Be diligent to be found in peace. (3) Seek to be in the exercise of faith. Have your loins girded, and garment on. (4) Let your lamps be burning, examining evidences and promises. III. Get free of love of sin, the sting of death. All that hate Christ love death. A carnal mind is death. Apply to Him to take away the curse, and seek deliverance from “the house of the wicked.”