Sermons Preached Upon Several Occasions, Sermon 7
SERMON VII.
CANT. 2. 3. —And his fruit was ſweet to my taſte.
AFter many particular obſervations, we came the laſt day to the main general propoſition that theſe words hold forth, viz. The fruit that grows upon Chriſt the tree of life is ſweet to the believing ſoul: it muſt needs be ſo, for it's the fruit that God doth feaſt his friends withal; the feaſts that he makes to his ſervants upon his holy Mountain they are nothing elſe but the fruit that grows upon this tree: Nay in the great ſupper of the Lamb, that everlaſting feaſt that God ſhall make in heaven, wherein his people ſhall ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God, and ſhall riſe no more, they ſhall have no other dainties but the fruit that grows upon this tree. But what's the fruit that grows upon Chriſt, that is ſo pleaſant and ſweet? I told you of the fruit of his heart, the fruit of his lips, the fruit of his loins, the fruit of his life: and I came in the laſt place to ſpeak of the fruit of his Death, and this is a precious bough full of fruit. Well, what is the fruit that grows upon Chriſts Death?
Firſt of all, Satisfaction of his Fathers Juſtice: That ſatisfaction which is given to Juſtice is a fruit of Chriſts death; He hath paid the debt, he hath cancelled the bond, he hath given to Juſtice what Juſtice could demand, he hath ſatisfied it to the utmoſt farthing, ſo that now Juſtice and mercy are met together, they now do embrace and kiſs each other; Juſtice is ſatisfied and mercy is ſatisfied; Juſtice is glorified and mercy is glorified: the believing ſoul may look Juſtice in the face as well as mercy in the face, becauſe Juſtice hath fully as much from Chriſt, as it can demand; now this ſatisfaction which is given to Juſtice it's a fruit of Chriſts death; But again,
2. Secondly, By the death of Chriſt, Chriſt is made a fit Object for poor ſinners to pitch upon; He is an Object for the guilty ſinner that durſt not look Chriſt in the face, he is a ſuitable object to a poor bleeding ſinner; there's abundance of precious fruit that grows upon Chriſt the tree of life, but this tree it was too high for a poor wretch, and could not have been enjoyed if Chriſt had not been willing to have his fruit cut down, he was cut down to the earth, laid upon the earth, humbled to the death of the croſs; ſo that now the poor guilty ſinner that is humbled through the ſenſe of his ſin, may look upon Chriſt in and through his death, and is become a ſuitable object for the poor ſoul to pitch upon: what more ſuitable to a wounded bleeding conſcience than a wounded bleeding dying ſaviour? Now that Chriſt is ſo ſuitable an Object for a poor guilty ſinner to pitch upon, this is a fruit of Chriſts death.
3. Again, Thirdly, Chriſt by his death hath carried out ſin, and brought in righteouſneſs; this is another fruit that grows upon the death of Chriſt, the volume of ſin in reſpect of the guilt, in reſpect of the condemning power of it, he hath carried out, and made an end of it, in Dan. 9. 24. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, to finiſh the tranſgreſſion, and to make an end of ſin, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlaſting righteouſneſs, and to ſeal up the viſion and prophecie, and to anoint the moſt holy. Sin, like a monſter, ſeiſed upon it, ſuckt the very heart blood of Chriſt; well, the Lord Jeſus he will be avenged of him, and therefore his blood, it was the bane of ſin. I'remember Pliny in his natural Hiſtory, reports of the enmitie that is betwixt the Dragon and Elephant, the Dragon gets under the Elephant, and ſucks his blood, and by his fall oft-times is the death of the Dragon; and this may be fitly compared to Chriſt, ſin is the Dragon that ſeized upon Chriſt; and the Lord Jeſus by his death fell upon ſin, he hath cruſht it all to pieces, he hath taken away the killing power of ſin, ſo that ſin, by this deed, he hath carried it out, as an abominable thing, and in the room of it he hath brought in a glorious righteouſneſs, a perfect righteouſneſs, and put it upon his people, a far more glorious righteouſneſs than the righteouſneſs of the Angels; ſo that the believing Soul may ſtand in the preſence of God, with much more boldneſs than formerly. This is a third fruit that is brought in by the death of Chriſt.
4. Again, Fourthly, Reconciliation is brought in as another fruit by the death of Chriſt: perfect reconciliation, and ſweet communion and fellowſhip with God, all this is the fruit of Chriſts death; he by his death hath taken in the wall of partitions, and by his death hath made thoſe that were enemies friends; thoſe that were a far off, nigh unto him; ſo that the heart of God is now nigh unto a believing Soul, and the believing ſoul may ſay now▪ with the Apoſtle, truly our fellowſhip is with the father, and with his ſon Jeſus Chriſt. Before, it might be ſaid of every man in the world, his fellowſhip was with ſin, with hell, and the devil, and enemies to God; but now by the death of Jeſus Chriſt peace is made, and reconciliation is made, and believing ſouls may ſay truly, our fellowſhip is with the father and with the ſon Jeſus Chriſt: that's a fourth fruit that grows upon the death of Chriſt.
5. Fifthly, The death of Chriſt, it hath cruſht the head of the old ſerpent, he hath bound the ſtrong man and caſt him out, and delivered poor captive ſouls out of the mouth and paw of the Lyon; it was promiſed long before Chriſt came, thouſands of years, that the ſeed of the woman ſhould break the ſerpents head: and Chriſt by his death made good that promiſe, he did cruſh the ſerpents head: by death he overcame him that had the power of death. But then,
6. Sixthly, Here is another fruit of Chriſts death, and that is by ſubduing the power of ſin and corruption in the hearts of Gods people. This is a very ſweet and deſirable fruit that grows upon this bough, the death of Chriſt; I ſay the ſubduing and conquering of the power of ſin in the heart: ſee what the Apoſtle ſays of it in Rom. 6. 11. Likewiſe, ye alſo reckon your ſelves dead unto ſin, but alive unto God: he ſaid before in v. 10. In that he died, he died unto ſin once, but in that he liveth he liveth unto God, ſo likewiſe reckon ye your ſelves dead unto ſin; that is, in that he died he died to ſin to the crucifying of ſin, to the violating and mortifying of the power and ſtrength of ſin; and therefore brethren, account and reckon your ſelves dead unto ſin: fetch arguments from the death of Chriſt to kill ſin; and truly brethren there are no ſuch Powerful arguments in the world to the ſubduing of the Power of ſin, as thoſe which are to be fetcht from the Power of the death of Chriſt. Oh, ſays the believing ſoul, ſhall that be ſweet to me which was ſo bitter to Chriſt? ſhall I look upon that as a friend, which was an enemie to Chriſt? Shall I love that which was a nail and a ſpear to pierce Chriſt? Shall I take delight in that cup, to drink of that cup which was ſuch poyſon to Chriſt? No, God forbid, ſays the believing ſoul, did not I die with Chriſt? did not he ſtand as a common perſon, and therefore ought not I to have reckoned my ſelf dead, dead unto ſin, even as Chriſt died for ſin? And how then ſhall we that are dead unto ſin, live any longer unto it? This is another fruit that grows upon the death of Chriſt.
7. Seventhly, there is a holy and ſanctified uſe that believers have of all ordinances and of all creatures; and this comes in as another fruit of the death of Chriſt; to unbelievers (ſays the Apoſtle) all is defiled, and all is polluted; his conſcience is defiled, he defiles the beſt things, and the holieſt ordinances, he hath no ſanctified uſe of creature comforts: but by the death of Chriſt all ordinances are ſanctified and bleſſed, and all creatures are bleſſed and ſanctified to ſuch as have faith in Chriſt; the blood of Chriſt ſprinkled upon a man hath a ſmell exceeding ſweet, and makes the ſoul to be thankful for every crum; Oh, this morſel is ſanctified through Chriſts blood; and thus every mercy being ſanctified is ſweetned by the death of Chriſt: and that is moſt comfortable.
8. Eighthly, Chriſt hath changed temporal death, and taken away the evil of it for his people; this is a moſt ſweet and deſirable fruit of the death of Chriſt; that temporal death is changed, ſweetned, ſanctified, that the ſting of death is taken out for all his people: Chriſt hath ſent a challenge to death, Oh death, I will be thy death, long before he came into the world, and he made good his word when he came, he fought a duel and overcame death, as in 1 Cor. 15. 55. O Death where is thy Sting? O grave where is thy victorie? this is a moſt precious fruit. Nay death that was a curſe, is turned into a bleſſing; and this makes it a greater mercy, death that was a curſe and the worſt of curſes is turned into a bleſſing to the believer, it doth them a very good turn, it's the fathers Servant, and it helps to bring them home, and although it be terrible to look upon its hard vizage, yet ſtill he doth a good office for all that are in Chriſt, he helps to carry them home unto their fathers houſe, and this is another fruit of Chriſts death.
9. Again, Ninthly, Chriſt hath ſwallowed up eternal death, he hath vanquiſhed hell, by letting forth the ſtream of his blood, ſo that that now there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt, there's no hell, there's no wrath, no diſpleaſure in the Almighty: he hath opened a door wide to life, grace, and ſalvation; and this is another fruit of Chriſts death.
10. Again, in the Tenth place, Another fruit of Chriſts death is this, The confirmation and ratification of all the promiſes of the whole Covenant that he hath made with his people: and this is a moſt precious and deſirable fruit; I ſay by the Death of Chriſt all the promiſes are confirmed and ratified: he hath confirmed his teſtament, his laſt will and teſtament, with all the Legacies that Chriſt gave to his people, he bequeathed grace, life and ſalvation, and all theſe were ratified, when Chriſt died. When a man dies, his will is ſure, then there's no man can alter the will of him that is dead, for by death the will is ratified: As the Covenant is unalterable being ratified by the death of Chriſt, ſo every promiſe is ratified by the death of Chriſt: it's as ſure, that heaven and earth ſhall paſs, but not one jot or tittle of the word ſhall fall to the ground, they ſhall as certainly be fulfilled as God is in heaven; now that the promiſes are ſo ſure, this eſtabliſhment and confirmation it's a bleſſed fruit of the Death of Chriſt. So much for the fruit of Chriſts death.
6. Sixthly, Again in the ſixth place, let us conſider the fruit of Chriſts reſurrection; and that hath a great deal of fruit; the reſurrection of Chriſt, what fruit grows upon this bough! Three ſorts of fruit grow upon this bough. But briefly of theſe.
1. Firſt of all, the believing ſoul is fully and compleatly juſtified: The full and compleat juſtfying of the Soul depends upon the Reſurrection of Chriſt: For when Chriſt aroſe from the dead, he is ſaid to be juſtified of the Spirit: That is, he was fully acquitted, he was fully abſolved; God the father declared to all the world that he was ſatisfied, the debt was paid, he was fully ſatisfied: I ſay, it was declared to men and Angels at that time when Chriſt did ariſe, the judge himſelf acquitted him, he did not break priſon, but the father himſelf juſtified him; and it's ſaid, the Angel came and rolled away the ſtone, which makes it evident to all the world that he was juſtified; and ſo he being juſtified, all his people are juſtified virtually in him, ſo that he left all his chains behind him: He did not come forth, when he came forth, bound hand and foot, as Lazarus did, but the Napkins and all bonds were left behind; ſo that the compleat juſtification of a Sinner comes in by virtue of Chriſts compleat Reſurrection. The Apoſtle ſpeaks of the Anſwer of a good conſcience by the Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt from the dead. A good conſcience may now anſwer, if juſtice come to demand any thing, the good conſcience it may anſwer and ſay, Lord didſt thou acquit thy ſon by his Reſurrection? didſt not thou roll away the ſtone, or cauſe the Angel to do it? and why doſt thou come to me? That's a ſweet fruit that grows upon the Reſurrection of Chriſt.
2. Secondly, the Quickening of the new man, and the raiſing of a dead heart to life, is another fruit that grows upon the reſurrection of Chriſt; now Chriſt is he that quickens whom he will: by the mighty power of his reſurrection is a poor ſoul raiſed up to live unto God; I ſay all the life and ſtrength of grace comes from the reſurrection of Chriſt; ſee what the Apoſtle ſays in Rom. 6. 4. mark, that like as Chriſt was raiſed up from the dead by the glory of the Father, that is, by the glorious power of the father, by that almighty power in which he was ſo glorious, I ſay Chriſt was raiſed from the dead, even ſo, ſaith he, we ſhould walk in newneſs of life; it's a mighty argument unto a gracious heart to walk with God, and to live unto God, and to walk in the newneſs of the Spirit; why, Chriſt he is riſen, he is riſen from the dead, and therefore when this word comes to the ſoul that is grovelling here below, and ſeeks Chriſt in dead works and duties, he is not there, he ſees not the death nor the reſurrection of Chriſt, but the power of Chriſt doth raiſe ſouls to live unto this newneſs of life, and that is the fruit of the reſurrection of Chriſt. But,
3. Again, Thirdly, there is another fruit of the reſurrection of Chriſt, and that is the Reſurrection of the body at the laſt day, this is a moſt ſweet fruit that grows upon Chriſt, the reſurrection of the bodies of all his Saints at the laſt day: he is ſaid to be the firſt-fruits of them that ſlept, in 1 Cor. 15. 20. He is become the firſt-fruits of them that ſlept; the firſt-fruits ſanctifie the whole crop, they were to bring the firſt-fruits, the firſt-fruits they were brought forth, the firſt-fruits ſanctifie the crop, that as they ſhould reap that for the glory of God, ſo their whole harveſt: now Chriſt he is the firſt-fruits of them that ſlept, his reſurrection it gives aſſurance unto the ſaints that as he is riſen from the dead, ſo the Lord he ſhall alſo raiſe them up, he ſhall raiſe them up by the mighty power of his reſurrection: ſee there in the Goſpel by Matthew 27. 52. And many bodies of the ſaints which ſlept, aroſe, and came out of the graves after his reſurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many; a pledge given of our reſurrection, that all the ſaints ſhall be raiſed at the laſt, many of the Saints that ſlept in the duſt they aroſe, and were ſeen of many in Jerſalem, there were witneſſes of it; this is a pledge I ſay that the bodies of all the Saints ſhall be raiſed up at the laſt day; and theſe are the fruits that grow upon Chriſts Reſurrection.
7. Seventhly, There are alſo many fruits that grow upon Chriſts Aſcenſion, his Aſcenſion unto Heaven; to tell you what fruits are there.
1. Firſt of all, this is the fruit of Chriſts Aſcenſion, viz. The glorious triumph over all enemies, and powers of darkneſs, both in his own perſon, and in his people, I ſay a glorious triumph over all enemies, for the day of Chriſts Aſcenſion was the day of his triumph; it's ſaid in Epheſ. 4. 8. when he aſcended on high he led captivity captive; alluding to a great conqueſt that when they have taken captives they will have a day of triumph to ſhew them openly: and ſo Jeſus Chriſt he led captivity captive, Sin and Satan and all the powers of darkneſs that had led poor ſouls captive, even them hath he led captive, and looks upon all theſe as bound by Chriſt, and they ſhall do no great harm: that's the firſt fruit of Chriſts aſcenſion.
2. Secondly, the donation of the ſpirit, and all the gifts of the Spirit, is another fruit of Chriſts Aſcenſion; it's ſaid before in that place of the Epheſians, That when he aſcended on high, he led Captivity Captive, and he gave gifts to men: all the gifts that are given to Churches, to men for the uſe of the Churches, they are the fruit of Chriſts Aſcenſion: Nay, all the gifts and graces that are given to any particular Soul, they are fruits of Chriſts Aſcenſion; he gave gifts to men, yea, to the Rebellious: yea, The Spirit of grace and conſolation is given to the Saints to comfort them, and to lead them into truth. See what Chriſt hath promiſed in John 16. 7. Nevertheleſs I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart I will ſend him unto you: ſee how the ſending of the Spirit did depend upon Chriſts going, If I do not aſcend, the Spirit will not come; but if I go, I will ſend him.
3. But again Thirdly, There is another fruit of Chriſts Aſcenſion, and that is, The carrying up of the hearts of his people into Heaven: the holy converſation, and thoſe heavenly affections and diſpoſitions, which are (or ſhould be) in all the Saints, they are the fruits of Chriſts Aſcenſion, for he aſcended for this very end that he might lift up their hearts: If I be lifted up, I will draw all men after me: he was lifted up into heaven, that he might draw eyes and ſouls after him: and therefore it's obſervable how Chriſt aſcended, he aſcended openly, he aſcended in the view of all that were preſent: he aſcended whileſt he was in the midſt of his Diſciples, talking of things concerning the Churches, he preſently aſcended; this was one end why Chriſt would not aſcend in ſecret, but openly, that they may know he is in Heaven, and that by the ſight of his Aſcenſion he might draw them after him in Spirit, though they could not follow him in body for the preſent: as the Eagle, when ſhe teaches her young ones, ſhe goes before and flyeth aloft, that they may follow after her; and thus doth the Lord Jeſus, he ſoars aloft, that he might make his Saints to give holy attempts, at leaſt in their Spirits, whilſt their bodies are here on earth; Oh, he can't endure that they ſhould be creeping here below; a low ſpirit and a low converſation is not fit for Saints: he would not have his people to have rooting in the earth, he would have his people be like Aaron's Rod: Aaron's Rod it was not like other Trees, it had no rooting in the earth, and yet it bloſſomed; ſuch would the Lord have his people to be, he can't away that they ſhould have low converſations, that their affections ſhould be creeping here upon the earth and not ſoaring aloft, and living in heaven where he is. Under the Levitical Law, the things that did creep upon the earth, they were abominable, and they were unclean; God gave a Commandment in Levit. 11. 41. And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth ſhall be an abomination, it ſhall not be eaten; it doth typifie what the Lord would have his people to be, he would not have his people to live below on the earth: the earth is but duſt, and that's Serpents meat; the Lord would have them to live above as Chriſt did, that his Aſcenſion might be a means to draw their hearts above, that their affections, meditations and deſires, and whole converſation might be in heaven: as for us, ſaies the Apoſtle, Our Converſation is in heaven; now when this converſation is given out to any of the Saints, let them be thankful to Chriſt for it, it's not in themſelves, it's the fruit of this bough that proceeds from Chriſt the Tree of Life. But then
4. Fourthly, Again, all thoſe boughs and branches that are above, they with all the Manſions are the fruit of Chriſts Aſcenſion, in John 14. 2. In my Fathers houſe are many manſions, if it were not ſo I would have told you; I go to prepare a place for you; this is one end of Chriſts going to heaven that he might prepare a place for all his people, that he might furniſh a Table with great glory, that he might prepare a great ſupper againſt their coming, that he might beſpeak a great welcom for them againſt they come there; I ſay there are glorious preparations that Chriſt is making to entertain his people with, when they are come into heaven, ſuch as eye hath not ſeen, nor ear hath heard, nor the heart of man can't conceive: all theſe are fruits of Chriſt's Aſcenſion. Beſides, their Aſcenſion in body and ſoul at the laſt day, is a fruit or conſequent of Chriſt's Aſcenſion, he aſcended that they might aſcend after him, Father I will that they which thou haſt given me, may be with me, that they which thou haſt given me, may come and behold my glory: The Lord Jeſus he hath ſet the doors wide open to his people, having unlocked them, and taken the Keys; he hath not only the Keys of heaven, but of hell; and the Lord he hath ſet a flaming Sword by the way of Paradiſe, that after Adam had ſinned he ſhould not come there: but Chriſt by his Aſcenſion, he hath taken away that Sword and opened the door, and ſet forth that glory, that they ſhall all be put into the poſſeſſion of that glory which he hath prepared for them; and this Aſcenſion which they ſhall partake of at the laſt day, is a bleſſed conſequent of Chriſts Aſcenſion into heaven. I thought to have ſpoken of the fruit of Chriſt's Mediation or Interceſſion, and ſo have come to the Uſe, but I ſhall reſerve it for another time.