Sermon.

by REV. JOHN BROWN, HADDINGTON.
“Behold, I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”—Rev. iii. 2.

DEAR friends, our communicating work at this time is over; our preaching and your hearing work is almost over; but our account for these things is still before us; who knows how near! Let us think, what we have done, and what we have got, that will abide the trial. In this solemn charge of heaven, now read and directed to your conscience and mine, we have, (1) An awful warning of the future judgment, from the lips of the Judge: Behold, I come quickly. (2.) A solemn charge to take heed to ourselves in the view of our certain and sudden appearance before God, the Judge of all. Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

In essaying to explain this solemn charge of God to us, I shall, (1.) Offer a few thoughts concerning Jesus’ coming to call us to account. (2.) Show what is to be held fast in view of his coming. (3.) Enquire what is implied in holding fast these things till he come. (4.) Exhibit the advantage of holding fast what good things we have attained.

*This sermon was preached by Rev. John Brown at Bathgate on the Monday of the Communion held there on 22nd August, 1768. The preacher is one whose fame is in the Churches of Christ.

I. On the first, we shall only say,
1. Jesus will certainly come. He hath already come in the likeness of sinful flesh, and bearing our iniquities; He has come in the power of the Holy Ghost, to gather the nations to himself; He has come in vengeance to ruin the church and state of Judah: and He will appear the second time without sin unto salvation: He shall come in His glory, and sit on the throne of His glory. The appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His times, He shall shew.¹ Let us pause and think, Is Jesus’ last coming’ as certain now, as ever it will be, though not so perceptible? Why then have I so little faith of, and so unfrequent, so small impressions of it? Why
is it not my great care to be found in him, and to approve myself in his fight? Why am not I careful to have my heart in such a state and frame, and my life in such a form, as if I already heard the awful blast of the last trumpet, “Arise ye dead, and come to judgment.”—Behold the Bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet him! Why am I consumed with care to provide ten thousand trifles for moments, for events, I will never see; and not concerned to be found of Him in peace, without spot and blameless! Ah! my folly makes it so!

¹Heb. ix. 28. Matth. xxv. 31. I. Tim. vi. 14, 15.

1. He will come quickly. Behold I come quickly: He will come suddenly and unexpectedly, as a thief in the night. In such an hour as we think not, the Son of man cometh;¹ when men are eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage; nay, whoring, stealing, blaspheming, belching forth idle or reproachful language, shall the coming of the Son of man be. Let us think, Is Jesus’ coming so near and sudden; and am I wasting so much of my days of grace, to so little purpose? Have I wasted the three or four days of this solemnity, to little, to, ah! next to no purpose, when perhaps, I must, with the patriarch, go down and die? Is eternity so near; and are eternal things even now so little object of my inmost care? Is eternity so near; and have I done nothing, or next to it, but what, when I see the Judge, I would wish, would give ten thousand worlds, had never been done.

¹Rev. xxii. 20, and xvi. 14. Matth. xxiv. 44.

1. He will come in a tremendous and awful manner: He has been coming and speaking here these days past; but how many of us have sat like stones before Him! we cannot tell from experience, whether there be a Christ; but it shall be otherwise at that day: the most deaf shall hear; the most blind shall see; the most careless shall, with deep concern, behold His glory, and listen to His words. Behold, He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see Him; they also which pierced Him, and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him. The dead, small and great, shall stand before God.¹ In the view hereof, why do we not think, O my soul, why art thou amused with trifles? Why do any things below the better part, ingross thy care? Will these idle thoughts, these foolish diversions, this worldly honour or wealth, encourage thee before thine appearing God? Alas! why do not I now hear? Why not communicate, pray, and practice, as if I saw the earth all in flames, Jesus on His great white throne, and I, and all nations, at His bar? Why do not I now give Him my heart, as I would then wish I had done? Why receive I not Him as my friend? O what if I, who refuse Him now in the days of His mercy, then stand crying to the hills and mountains, to fall on me, and hide me from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, because the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

¹Rev. i. 7. Psal. i. 3. Rev. xx. 12.

1. He will come to judge us. We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. God will bring every work into judgment.² Ah! my brethren, is every thing to be accounted for? Every mercy, every affliction, every deliverance, every moment, every talent, every season of grace, every sermon, and every sentence of truth in it? Who then can be saved! ah! where shall we flee for help! or where shall we leave our glory! If thou, Lord, shalt mark iniquities, who can stand? Who can answer for one of a thousand? I tremble to think, what danger we are in of being called to account for what has happened here; our careless preaching, prayer, communicating, or converse, whereby we have transformed the feast into three or four days uproar against Jesus, who gave His life for us. Ah! how can I answer for having a heart so long, and Christ so little room in it, and so few thoughts about Him! or having a tongue so long, and Christ so little honoured, and my neighbours so little profited by it! Ah! let us even now flee under the covert of His blood, that then we may give a right answer; it was exacted, and He answered it.

²II. Cor. v. 10. Eccl. xii. 14.

II. Let us now consider, What is to be held fast in the view of Christ’s coming to call us to an account.

1. Let us hold fast Jesus’ person as our espoused husband, our chosen Saviour, Portion, and Master; let us hold Him by faith in His promise, as made of God to us, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. So Barnabas exhorted the Greeks, that with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord. We must abide in Him, and He in us: for we can bear no fruit, except we abide in Him: separate from Him, we can do nothing: but he that abideth in Christ, and Christ in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit of good works, to the praise of the glory of God. Having received the Lord Jesus, we must walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him. All pretences to religious steadfastness is but a farce, a stiffness of humour, if we hold not the head, from which all the body of true church-members, by joints and bands, having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.¹ We are to hold Him fast, that we may be fitted for, directed in, excited and strengthened to every good word and work. O! the horrid deceit, to have Jesus’ name called on us, and His truth in our mouth; and yet refuse to retain Him in the highest room of our heart; and neglect to use Him as our all in all!—Ah shocking character! a Christian in name, without Christ in his heart!

¹Acts xi. 23. John xv. 4, 5. Col. ii. 6, 7, 19.

1. What grace we have received, let us hold it fast, and increase therein. We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end; and take heed of an evil heart of unbelief, departing from the living God. That good thing which was committed unto us, we must keep by the Holy Ghost that dwelleth in us. We must keep ourselves in the love of God, building up ourselves in our most holy faith. We must keep our heart with all diligence, lest we lose any degrees of what grace God has there wrought: for out of it are the issues of life. We must continue stabilised and grounded in the faith, and abounding therein; and let brotherly love continue: nay, must grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; must give all diligence, to add to our faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity: for if these things be in us, and abound, we shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.¹ I beseech you, Sirs, let all your religious steadfastness be as it were rooted in these things, in holding Jesus and His grace: without this, you but build on the sand: and after all your high pretences to witnessing, this shall ye have of God’s hand, ye shall lie down in everlasting sorrow; ye shall be cut asunder, and have your portion with hypocrites. And indeed, let us think seriously, Can there be greater deceivers, more villainous persons on earth, than pretended witnesses for Christ and His truths, indulging themselves in a Christless and graceless state, and unholy temper and life? But I hope better things of you, and things that accompany salvation.

¹Heb. iii. 10, 14. II. Tim. i. 14. Jude 20. Prov. iv. 23. Col. ii. 7, 2. II. Peter iii. 18 and i. 5 to 8.

1. Whereunto we have attained, let us hold fast the truths of God, in our professing and practising them. Seeing we have a great high-priest passed into the heavens, let us hold fast the form of sound words, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. Whereunto we have attained in respect of knowledge, in respect of open and avowed profession, in respect of solemn covenant, let us hold fast; let us walk by the same rule; let us mind the same thing. Let us contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, and maintained by our holy ancestors, at the expense of every thing dear on earth, life not excepted. Let us buy the truth at any rate, and sell it at none. It is the truth that makes us free, and therefore what liberty we have obtained by it, let us stand fast in it, and not be intangled in any yoke of bondage, by letting slip our hold of it. Let us stand fast in one Spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel. Particularly we must hold fast, and keep the word of Christ’s patience,² truths that are opposed in our times; such as, that the Scriptures are the Word of God, and sole rule for directing us to true holiness and happiness;¹ that by nature we are altogether corrupt, and incapable of doing anything spiritually good;² that God’s sovereign grace, not our free will, is the source of our salvation;³ that the change of our nature is effected only by the Spirit’s uniting us to Christ, and creating us in Him unto good works;⁴ that no works of ours can justify us before God, in whole or in part; but Jesus’ obedience and suffering fulfilled in our stead, and imputed to us;⁵ that if we are once united to Christ, we shall be kept in Him by the mighty power of God, through faith unto salvation, and none be able to pluck us out of His hand, or separate us from His love;⁶ that Jesus, and His full salvation, are freely offered in the Gospel to men, as sinners, even the chief;⁷ that Jesus is the sole King and Head of His church, and none but He has any power to make any law, any term of fellowship, therein;⁸ that His kingdom is Spiritual, not of this world; not to be regulated according to civil laws, or carnal inclinations of men, but entirely according to the Scriptures of truth;⁹ that the Presbyterian government of her, by ministers acting with equal authority, and by ruling elders and deacons, and in sessions, presbyteries, and synods, is the only form prescribed in God’s Word, as well as the only form our solemn covenants will admit us, without perjury, to countenance;¹⁰ that Christ’s people are free indeed, and have a power, and the sole power, to choose their own ordinary officers, who take the charge and oversight of their souls, and that no earthly title or property can give any a right to impose a pastor on them; that no person can, without treachery against Christ, pretend to preach or administer sacraments, without a regular call, or be owned as a preacher or minister,¹¹ etc. Christ’s truths, when oppressed and in prison, must be owned, even amidst an adulterous and sinful generation, under pain of our being disowned by Christ in the future judgment. All truths must be held fast, and confessed. The doctrines of the gospel are the foundation of our hopes of eternal life; the laws of God are our obligatory rule of universal conduct; the ordinances of the gospel are the channels of God’s grace to men in this imperfect state; and the discipline and government of the church are the means of preserving these channels entire and clean, that the grace of God, may without hindrance, be conveyed to us therein: can any of these be rejected or wanted, without unspeakable prejudice to our soul? Or shall I say, the doctrines of the gospel, and ordinances of divine worship, are the fat pastures, wherein men’s souls are fed and nourished up to eternal life; and discipline and government are the hedges appointed of God for preserving these pastures, from being spoiled, and for preserving the saints from straying therefrom? Can any of these be wanted, but at the hazard of men’s souls? Hath not God charged us ministers to shew, and you hearers to observe, the form of this house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof, that we may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof; and measuring the pattern, may be ashamed of all our iniquities.¹ It is the truth that is the means of our sanctification.² Can we then rightly love universal holiness, while we condemn or deny the means of it? The truths of revelation are in Jesus:³ he therefore that wrongfully toucheth them, must touch the apple of his eye: he that divides them, holding one part, and indulging himself in condemning another, must indulge himself, in attempting to divide, to crucify Christ afresh. Divine truths, even these relating to discipline and government, are founded in Jesus’ suffering and death; are a part of the New Testament in His blood; and are confirmed and conveyed to us, by means of the blood of the martyrs, who loved not their lives unto the death, but resisted unto blood, striving against sin. Let us beware of bringing on our heads the blood of that Saviour, and of these men, by neglecting these divine truths which the one died to found, and the other died to confirm, and convey to us in their purity. Let us tremble to think of practically declaring they died as fools did. Let us further consider, that divine truth is a body compacted together with joints and bands, not a heap of detached parcels; and in its connections with Christ, and with the other parts of it, doth the glory thereof consist. It is the truth that must be kept; the truth that must be bought, and not sold; the truth that must be received in the love of it; the faith that must be contended earnestly for; for there is one faith¹ as well as one God, one Saviour, one baptism. If then one member of this body suffer, all the other members suffer with it. Some would tell me, If we hold fast fundamental truths, no matter, or certainly small matter, about these which are circumstantial. But, friend, has the God of infinite wisdom declared or appointed in His Word, what is unworthy of our notice? Are we higher or wiser than He? Let us beware of taking from His words, even circumstantial things, lest He take away our name out of the book of life.² Put the case, you had a darling child, and gave it out to a keeper, if the keeper should take it into her head, to cut off the arms and legs of your child, and when returning it, should tell you, she had but cut off the circumstantial parts, that they might not draw the nourishment from the more essential ones, which were all left entire; would you think you and your child had received no injury, no abuse? What then must Jesus think of such, to whom He has entrusted the keeping of His child, His darling child of revealed truth, brought forth by the travail of His soul, if, under pretence of noted improvement of fundamental truths, and attention to the practical concerns of Christianity, they cut off, by neglect or contempt, the truths relative to discipline and government, which, we shall grant, are but the arms and legs of the body of truth? —What real benefit men’s souls, or the church, or the essential articles of truth, get by the neglect of these arms and legs, let the present state of things in Britain and Ireland, be a mournful witness. What do these manglers of truth, under pretence of attachment to more substantial things, more than others? What are they better than our zealous ancestors, holy Rutherford, Renwick, etc.? Nay, are they ought but pigmies in holiness, or in fellowship with God, in comparison of them? Nay, what are they better than their withered fellow professors of the present age, except in dislike, or reproach of such as profess more strictness; and in wonderful fondness of such as are more, or as loose in their opinions or ways as themselves.

²Heb. iv. 14. II. Tim. i. 13. Phil. iii. 16. Jude, 3. Prov. xxiii. 23. John viii. 32. Gal. v. 1. Phil. i. 27. Rev. iii. 10.
¹ II. Tim. iii. 15, 17. ² Rom. iii. 10-20. Eph. ii. 1-3. ³ Eph. ii. 4-9. Rom. v. 20, 21. ⁴ Rom. viii. 2. Eph. iii. 10. ⁵ Rom. iii. 20-26. ⁶ I. Peter i. 5. ⁷ Is. lv. 1-4. Matth. ix. 13. ⁸ Psal. ii. 7. Matth. xxiii. 8. ⁹ John xviii. 36. Matth. xxviii. 20. ¹⁰ Luke xxii. 24-26. I. Tim. v. 17 and iii. and iv. 14. Acts xv. ¹¹ Acts i. and vi. and xiv. 23. I. John iv. 1. Jer. xxiii. 32. Heb. v. 4.
¹ Ezek. xliii. 10, 11. ² John xvii. 17. ³ Eph. iv. 21.
¹ Is. xxvi. 2. Prov. xxiii. 26. II. Thes. ii. 10, 12. Jude iii. Eph. iv. 7.
² Rev. xxii. 19.

1. What we have attained in practical religion, let us hold it fast, in the view of the coming of Christ. Have we escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust? Let us beware of being again entangled therein, lest it become worse for us, than if we had never known the holy commandment, and begun to obey it. Let us never build up what evil courses we have destroyed, lest we be found transgressors.¹ Have we set up the worship of God in our closets and families, both morning and evening? Let us not, in the greatest hurry of earthly business, expose ourselves to the divine fury, poured out on such as call not on God name.² Have we got into a reverential regard for the name of God, abhorring even minced oaths, or light mentioning of any thing sacred? Let us continue to fear this great and glorious name, the Lord our God, lest He make our plagues wonderful.³ Have we begun to sanctify the Sabbath, not seeking our carnal ease, thinking our carnal thoughts, or doing our carnal works? Let us continue remembering to keep it holy, and call it our delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, and honour Him.⁴ Have we begun to use occasional meetings for prayer, and holy conference? Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but speak often to one another, that the Lord may hearken and hear it.⁵ Have we begun to be agreeable relatives in the family, the church, or the state? Let us abound more and more herein, in the Lord. Devotion, without natural affection, and performance of relative duties, sadly mark men hypocrites.¹ Having tasted that the Lord is gracious, have we laid aside superfluity of naughtiness, and all malice, guile, hypocrisies, and evil speakings? Let us never return with the dog to such vomit, or with the sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire; let us love one another, and love all that bear Christ’s image, however opposite to us, with a pure heart fervently; let us esteem others better than ourselves; provoke one another to love, and good works; and speak the truth every one to his neighbour, as we think in our heart.² Have we begun to mortify our members that are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, and left off drunkenness, light companions, vain and lascivious dancings, the gandy attire of fops or harlots? Let us continue to act as these, whose bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost; and as believing that mad mirth, and lascivious carriage ill suit the character of professed mourners for the abounding sins of the land.³ Having renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, let us steal, let us defraud, let us covet no more; but render to every man his due, tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour; and study to owe no man anything, but to love one another. Whatever we would that men should do to us, let us do so unto them. As we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, especially to them that are of the household of faith, whether of our party or not.⁴ Have we, in a conscientious manner, separated, as to church fellowship, from brethren that walk disorderly, and not according to the received and solemnly espoused doctrines of our public standards, and founded on the Word of God? Let us continue in our withdrawal, while the grounds of it are more and more increasing: let us mark them that cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine we have learned, and avoid them.⁵ Thus having proved all things, let us hold fast that which is good: let us keep our garments, lest we be found naked, and men see our shame: let us observe whatever God has commanded, neither adding to it; nor diminishing from it; neither turning to the right hand, nor to the left. Let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not: but men unstable as water shall not prevail. He that wavereth, is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind, and tossed. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways,—is like a child tossed to and fro with every kind of false doctrine, or ensnaring temptation.¹

(To be continued.)

¹II. Pet. ii. 20, 21. Gal. ii. 18. ²Jer. x. 25. ³Deut. xxviii. 58, 59.
⁴Exod. xx. 8. Is. lviii. 13. ⁵Heb. x. 25. Mal. iii. 16.
¹Eph. v. and vi. Col. iii. and iv. Rom. xii. and xiii. ²Rom. xii. 10. Heb. x. 24. Zech. viii. 16. Psal. 15. ³Eph. v. 3-12. ⁴Eph. iv. 28. Rom. xiii. 7, 8. Matth. vii. 12. Gal. vi. 10. ⁵Thess. iii. 6. Rom. xvi. 16, 17.
¹Rev. xvi. 14. Deut. xii. 32. Gal. vi. 9. James i. 6, 8. Eph. iv. 14,