Twenty Sermons, Sermon 15
CHRIST THE Bread of Life.
John VI. 35.
And Jeſus ſaid unto them, I am the Bread of Life; he that cometh unto me ſhall never hunger, and he that believeth on me ſhall never thirſt.
THis Chapter contains in it that admirable and Heavenly Sermon of our Saviour, concerning the Bread of Life; wherein you may take notice of three parts:
Firſt, The occaſion of this Sermon, that was the Peoples following of him, becauſe they did eat of the Loaves, and were filled, Verſe 26.
Secondly, The Sermon it ſelf: and that is from verſ. 27, to ver. 59.
Thirdly, You have the iſſue or conſequence of the Sermon: ſome believed, and ſome revolted: ſome murmured, and ſome marvelled.
The Text that I have now read unto you, is part of the Sermon it ſelf, wherein our Lord and Saviour, becauſe of the ſtupidity and incredulity of his Auditors, doth again and again, both preſs and prove this Heavenly Doctrine, that he himſelf was the Bread of Life; I am (ſays he) the Bread of Life: he that cometh to me ſhall not hunger, and he that believeth on me, ſhall never thirſt. In which Text, you may take notice of theſe two parts:
Firſt, An undeniable Propoſition, I am the Bread of Life.
Secondly, A comfortable Inference upon that Propoſition, He that cometh to me ſhall never hunger, and he that believeth on me ſhall nevtr thirſt.
I ſhall begin with the firſt, the evident and undeniable Propoſition, I am the Bread of Life: which words muſt not be underſtood literally, as if our Saviour was ſuch Corporal Bread as could be chewed in the mouth, and digeſted in the ſtomach, as the Capernaites did fondly conceive, when they ſaid, How can this man give us his fleſh to eat? this was as groſs a conceit, as Nicodemus's, who askt, If he ſhould go into his Mothers womb again, and be born. But the words muſt be underſtood in a Metaphorical ſenſe; That as Bread ſtrengthens the body, and revives the ſpirit, and ſupports the nature of a man, and enables him to perform natural actions with more vigour and vivacity; ſo likewiſe the Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſtrengthens the Soul, and revives the ſpirit, and ſupports us in our ſpiritual life, and helps us to perform ſpiritual duties in a ſpiritual manner: therefore he ſaith, I am the Bread of Life. He is not only bread, but the bread of life, becauſe it is he that gives us ſpiritual life here, and preſerves that life, and will hereafter give to us Eternal liſe in Glory; and therefore he is called The Bread of Life. So then the Doctrine I would commend to you from hence, is this:
Doct. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt is that living bread, that gives Spiritual and Eternal life to all thoſe that have a part and intereſt in him.
This is a Truth ſo unqueſtionable, that it is no leſs than ſix times repeated in this one Chapter: And for the better Confirmation of it, it may be demanded:
Firſt, Wherein doth our Saviour reſemble bread?
Secondly, And how doth it appear that our Saviour is better than bread?
I ſhall ſpeak briefly to them both:
Firſt, Wherein doth our Saviour reſemble bread? I will name but three particulars, though I know more might be reckoned up.
Firſt, Bread you know it is prepared food: the Corn muſt be threſhed, and winnowed, and ground in a Mill, and baked in an Oven, before it can be bread for us to eat. So the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, he was threſhed, as I may ſay, by afflictions and tribulations, He was a man of ſorrows: and he was winnowed by temptations: he was baked, and ſcorch'd, as it were, in the Oven of his Fathers wrath: for, it was he that trod the Winepreſs of his Fathers wrath alone for us; and all this was done before he could be made fit Bread, that is a fit Saviour for our Souls.
Secondly, Bread you hnow it is common food, it is common to the poor, as well as to the rich; for the fooliſh, as well as the wiſe; the poor have bread if they have any thing; ſo the Lord Jeſus Chriſt he is a common Saviour, common for all ranks and conditions of men; for high and low, and rich and poor, noble and ignoble; all are beholding to Jeſus Chriſt here: There is neither Greek, nor Jew, Circumciſion, nor Ʋncircumciſion, Barbarian, Scythian, Bond nor Free, but Chriſt is all and in all, Col. 3.11.
Thirdly, Bread you know it is the principal food, it is the ſtay and ſupport of a mans life, therefore it is called The ſtaff of bread, Iſa. 3.1. So the Lord Jeſus Chriſt he is the principal portion of the Souls of all Believers: He is the choiceſt of ten thouſand, Cant. 5.10. We may better want any thing than bread: The Lord Jeſus Chriſt is as I may ſay, not only the food of our Souls, but the Soul of our Souls, and the Life of our Lives.
Secondly, It may be demanded: But wherein doth Jeſus Chriſt excel this corporal bread? I anſwer in theſe four reſpects:
Firſt, Corporal bread, though it doth help to preſerve life, yet it cannot give life; but now the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is he that gives ſpiritual Life; he begins it, and begets it in his People, Epheſ. 2.1, You hath he quickned who were dead in treſpaſſes and ſins. And hence it is that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is called the ſecond Adam: The firſt man Adam was made a living Soul, the laſt Adam was made a quickning Spirit, 1 Cor. 15.45. And in John 5.21, For as the Father raiſeth up the dead, and quickneth them, even ſo the Son quickneth whom be will.
Secondly, Bread doth ſatisfie but one appetite, namely, hunger; never was it known that bread could ſatisfie thirſt: but now the Lord Jeſus Chriſt he can ſatisfie all the deſires of the Soul, and ſupply all the wants of the Soul, he is both the bread of life, and the water of life: nay, not only bread and water, but he is cloathing to the Soul; as it is in Rom. 13. ult. Put ye on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; So that he is both Food and Spiritual Cloathing.
Thirdly, Bread, though it ſatisfie your hunger for the preſent, yet it cannot ſo take away your hunger that you ſhall hunger no more; if it ſatiſfie hunger to day, you will be hungry again to morrow. But now the Lord Jeſus Chriſt doth ſo ſatisfie the hunger of our Souls, that we ſhall never hunger nor thirſt more: for ſo the Text tells you, He that comes to me ſhall never hunger, and he that believeth on me ſhall never thirſt.
Fourthly, Corporal bread you know is periſhing, and doth but nouriſh a periſhing life, John 6.27, Labour not for the meat that periſheth. But now the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is not periſhing bread, but that bread that endures for ever; and that life that he gives, is not a periſhing life neither, John 6.51, I am the living bread which came down from Heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he ſhall live for ever; and the bread which I will give is my fleſh, which I will give for the life of the world. So you ſee the Point opened. Let me briefly apply it, becauſe I principally aim at the ſecond part of the Text, the comfortable-Inference. But for the improvement of this Point:
Firſt, By way of Information; and then by way of Exhortation.
Firſt, By way of Information: there are three Doctrinal Inferences from the Point thus opened, that may be thence deduced:
Firſt, If the Lord Jeſus Chriſt be that living bread that gives Spiritual and Eternal life to them that believe in him, then you may learn this Leſſon, That ſuch, and ſo great is the indiſpenſable need that we have of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that without him we are undone for ever. In the 53d verſe of this exeellent Chapter: Verily, verily I ſay unto you, except you eat the fleſh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you. He ſpeaks there of eating of his fleſh, and drinking his blood, in a ſpiritual manner. You know there are many deſires of the Soul that may be diſpenced with, but hunger is a deſire that muſt be ſatisfied; unleſs you have bread for your ſuſtenance, the body dies: ſo unleſs you have Jeſus Chriſt for your ſpiritual ſuſtenance, your Souls die, and drop down into Hell for ever: for, look as the union of the Body with the Soul, is the life of the Body; ſo the union of the Soul with Jeſus Chriſt, is the life of the Soul. O hearken to this, thou that art yet in a natural and unregenerate eſtate, uncalled, unconverted, that never was yet tranſplanted from off the old rotten ſtock of Adam, and replanted into the true Vine, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; if thou liveſt in this eſtate, and dieſt in this eſtate, thou art undone for ever; the pooreſt worm that crawls upon the ground, is in a better condition than thou art in, Acts 26.27, Believeſt thou the Prophets? (ſaid St. Paul to King Agrippa) I know that thou believeſt. Believeſt thou this Doctrine? ſay I to thee, that art yet uncalled, unconverted, I know thou believeſt it not: for, if thou didſt believe it, thou couldeſt not reſt contented in a Chriſtleſs condition for one week, no, not for one day: but wouldeſt by prayers and tears, and ſupplications, cry out, Lord Jeſus give me thy ſelf, whatever thou denyeſt me: give me thy ſelf, though I be as poor as Job upon the Dunghil. But we cannot perſwade men that the danger of a natural eſtate and condition is ſo great as indeed it is; but the Lord convince you and perſwade you of it.
A ſecond Doctrinal Inference that may be hence deduced, is this: If Jeſus Chriſt be the living bread, then it follows, the vanity and emptineſs, and inſufficiency of all Creature-accommodations is exceeding great: name what you will of theſe outward accommodations that the World do ſo greedily gape after: whether Riches, or Honours, or Pleaſures, or goodly brave Buildings, this and that: alas, we may ſay of them, they are not bread, Iſa. 55.2, Wherefore do you ſpend your money for that which is not bread? Your money, that is, your precious opportunities: your time, that is your money to make your Markets for Eternity with, for Moments are the Markets for Eternity; Wherefore do you ſpend your money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which ſatisfieth not? Alas, alas, theſe outward things they are neither ſatisfactory, nor permanent: they are not ſatisfactory: for Solomon tells us, that He that loveth ſilver, ſhall not be ſatisfied with ſilver, nor he that loveth abundance, with encreaſe, Eccleſ. 5.10. As ſoom may you hope to fill a Cheſt with Wiſdom and Knowledg, as to fill a Soul, which is a ſpiritual ſubſtance, with temporal things. And as theſe outward things are are ſatisfactory, ſo neither are they permanent or laſting, 1 Cor. 6.13, Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats, but God ſhall deſlroy both it and them. Look as the belly devours the meat, ſo the worms at laſt ſhall devour the belly, and ſo both meat and belly periſh together. But if you can but once get this ſpiritual bread, the Lord Chriſt, you ſhall never periſh. Alas, alas, conſider your own folly and brutiſhneſs, in ſeeking for ſatisfaction here below, where none is to be found: your bread without Chriſt, is but gravel in your throats; your moral Vertues without Chriſt, are but glittering ſins: your bodies without Chriſt, are but duſt and aſhes: duſt that will drop down into the Grave, and aſhes that are fitted for the Furnace of Hell-fire; your Souls without Chriſt, are but the Devils Palace: your lives without Chriſt, is but the ſervice of ſin; and your deaths without Chriſt, will be nothing elſe but the wages of ſin. Oh, who would reſt then in a Chriſtleſs condition! Who would ſit down contented with theſe poor, tranſitory, ſhadowy comforts!
A third Leſſon we may learn by way of Inference, is this: If Jeſus Chriſt be the living bread, then our main end and errand in coming to the Lords Table, is not to feed the Body, but to feed the Soul, 1 Cor. 11.21, What, have you not Houſes to eat and to drink in? ſaith the Apoſtle. So that it is not the end of your coming to the Lords Table, therefore you eat but a little piece of Bread, and drink but a little draught of Wine, to put you in mind that it is not the Body that you come to feed, but you come to feed the Soul; and therefore you ſhould labour to get a preparation ſuitable to that ſpiritual bread that you are to taſte of; But what is that? you will ſay. I anſwer, There ſhould be ſomething done before your coming, and ſomething done in the Adminiſtration of the Elements, and ſomething done after the receiving of the Elements.
Firſt, There ſhould be ſomething done before you come: Oh beg a bleſſing upon your ſpiritual bread; Man lives not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, Matth. 4.4. I may apply it thus: Your Souls will not live by this Sacramental Bread, but by the Word of Gods bleſſing; If God will bleſs this ſpiritual food to you, your Souls ſhall live. On therefore beg the Bleſſing of God upon this Heavenly Bread.
Secondly, And then there is ſomething to be done while you are eating this Bread; you ſhould get your hearts all on fire with love to this bleſſed Redeemer that was contented to be made bread, to be prepared food, as I told you even now: to be threſhed, and winnowed, and ground, and bak'd, and ſcorch'd in the Oven of his Fathers Wrath; Oh, how ſhould your hearts be all on a flame with Love, as the two Diſciples were, going to Emaus; As Jeſus Chriſt brake bread, and gave it to them, and opened to them the Scriptures, their hearts did burn within them, (Luke 24.32.) they were as it were all on a fire. So ſhould it be with you when you come to the Lords Table: you ſhould have your meditations wholly taken up with that which is the life of the Sacrament, even the death of our Saviour; let not your hearts be roving, and wandering about, watch them narrowly: you will hardly keep them cloſe to a duty two Minutes without great watching.
Thirdly, There is ſomething to be done after, when you have eaten of this living bread: that is, to be exceeding thankful: ſtudy to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well-pleaſing. That's the firſt Uſe, of Information.
The ſecond Ʋſe is of Exhortation. Is Jeſus Chriſt that living bread that gives eternal life to all thoſe that have a part and intereſt in him? Then let my counſel be accepted with you: give no reſt to your Eyes, no ſatisfaction to your Souls in any condition, with any portion or priviledg whatſoever, until you have gotten this bread, until you have gotten Jeſus Chriſt to be your portion, to be the food of your Souls. That which Solomon ſpeaks of Wiſdom, Prov. 4.7, Wiſdom is the principal thing, therefore get Wiſdom; and with all thy gettings, get underſtanding. So ſay I, this is the principal Bread: therefore get Chriſt, and above all thy gettings, get Chriſt. I, but may be you will ſay, How ſhall we get him? I anſwer,
Firſt, You muſt highly prize him, eſteeming all things but droſs in compariſon of him: you muſt eſteem all outward things but as Dogs meat in compariſon of that bread which is in your Fathers Houſe.
Secondly, You muſt earneſtly beg him; you muſt pray as the Capernaites did, Lord, evermore give us this bread, ver. 34, of this Chapter.
Thirdly, You muſt labour for him; Labour not for that meat that periſheth, but for that bread hat endures to eternal life, John 6.27. But how muſt we labour for him? You muſt labour for him in the uſe of his Ordinances: as Praying, Reading, Hearing, Communicating at the Lords Table, and the like.
Fourthly, When you have found him, or know where this bread is to be had, you muſt hunger and thirſt for him; for the Lord Chriſt will never beſtow himſelf upon that Soul that doth not breathe and break with longing deſires for him.
Fifthly, You muſt be ſure by Faith to apply him to your own Souls. Bread, when it ſtands upon the Table, is common bread; but when I have eaten it, then it is my bread: then it turns to my nouriſhment, to my ſubſtance; ſo you muſt make Application of Chriſt to your Souls.
Sixthly, If you would have Chriſt, you muſt learn to live upon him: As a man lives upon bread, ſo you muſt live upon Chriſt; live upon him in point of Juſtification, in point of Sanctification and Salvation: As the living Father hath ſent me, and I live by the Father, ſo he that eateth me, even he ſhall live by me, ver. 57, of this Chapter. If you live in him, and live upon him, you ſhall hereafter for ever live with him. And ſo much of the firſt Branch of the Text, the evident Propoſition.
I come now to the comfortable Inference that is thence deduced: He that cometh to me ſhall never hunger, and he that believeth in me, ſhall never thirſt. By coming to Chriſt, is meant believing in Chriſt; for the latter Phraſe doth expound the former: He that cometh to me; that is, he that believes in me. Coming, you know, is a motion, and in a motion there are two terms: there is the terminus a quo, and terminus ad quem: ſomething a man comes from, and ſomething a man comes to; ſo believing is a motion of the Soul: a man comes from himſelf, from his own righteouſneſs, from his own ends: he comes from the World, and then he comes to Chriſt; he comes to him, as one that is able to give him fit and full ſatisfaction to his Soul; He that comes to me ſhall never hunger, and he that believes in me ſhall never thirſt. Chriſt ſpeaks here of a ſpiritual hunger, and of a ſpiritual thirſt; the meaning is this, He that believes in me, ſaith our Saviour, he ſhall have all his wants ſupplied, all his deſires allayed, and he ſhall have his Soul fully ſatisfied. So then the Doctrine I ſhall give you from this ſecond Branch of the Text, is this:
Doct. Whoſoever believes in Jeſus Chriſt, ſhall by Chriſt have all his ſpiritual wants ſupplyed, and all his deſires allayed, and his ſoul fully ſatisfied.
Why is Jeſus Chriſt not only compared to Bread, but alſo to Water, Iſa. 55.1, Ho, every one that thirſteh, come to the waters of life. By water, is meant Jeſus Chriſt. Why is he compared not to Water, but to Wine and Milk: Come, buy Wine and Milk, without Money, and without Price; but only to ſhew that he is able to give the Soul fit and full ſatisfaction? Here are two Queries I ſhall ſpeak to by way of Explication.
Firſt, How, or in what ſenſe this Doctrine is true, He that believes in Christ, ſhall have all his deſires ſatisfied.
Secondly, How it comes to paſs, or what is the reaſon, that ſuch a ſoul as believes in Chriſt ſhall have the ſpiritual deſires of his ſoul ſatisfied?
Firſt, How, or in what ſenſe this Doctrine holds true, That he that believes in Chriſt, ſhall by Chriſt have all his deſires anſwered?
In anſwer to this, You muſt know the deſires of the Soul are of three ſorts: there are ſinful deſires, and ſenſual deſires, and ſpiritual deſires.
Firſt, There are ſinful deſires of the Soul: there is no man but naturally he doth as eagerly deſire to ſin, as he deſires to eat when he is hungry, Prov. 4.17, They eat the bread of wickedneſs, and drink the Wine of violence. Naturally a man hath a Dog-like thirſt after ſin: ſome after one luſt, ſome after another: Do you think the Scripture ſaith in vain, the ſpirit that is in us luſteth to envy? James 4.5. That which is here ſpoken of Envy, may be ſpoken of any other ſin. Some luſt after covetouſneſs, ſome luſt after pride, ſome after envy: ſome after one thing, ſome after another. But mark now, as ſoon as the Soul comes to Jeſus Chriſt, and believes in him, theſe deſires and ſinful luſts ſhall be quenched, becauſe the Lord Jeſus Chriſt will make ſuch a Soul to be dead to ſin: A dead man deſireth nothing. I know, my Brethren, that this is to be underſtood in part, becauſe our mortification is imperfect, therefore all the ſinful deſires of the Soul will not be quenched in this life. But thus far it holds true, He that is born of God ſinneth not, 1 John 3.9: that is, ſo far forth as a man is born of God, he ſinneth not; there is a nature in him that ſinneth not, a Divine Nature, for he is made partaker of the Divine Nature; there is ſomething in him that doth not ſin, that doth not luſt after ſin, but luſteth againſt ſin: he hath ſomething in him that doth not ſin; As the fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit, ſo the Spirit luſteth againſt the Fleſh, Gal. 5.17. Theſe ſenſual deſires ſhall be quenched.
Secondly, There are ſenſual deſires, that is, a luſting after the lawful contentments of this life. Some luſt after one diſh of the World, and ſome after another. Zacheus, a pining Publican, he luſted after the gain of the World: I, but when he comes to Chriſt, this luſtful deſire of his is allayed; for, ſaid he, Lord, now half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have done wrong, I will make recompence fourfold. Here is an admirable example for ſome to follow, that make haſte to be rich, as Solomon hath it: He that makes haſte to be rich ſhall not be innocent, Prov. 28.20. Such a one had need to think of reſtitution. So the Diſciples in the Primitive time: they ſold their poſſeſſions, and brought them and laid them down at the Apoſtles feet, Acts 4.35. Why at the Apoſtles feet? becauſe they regarded their outward poſſeſſions (in compariſon of Heavenly treaſure, which they were made partakers of) no more than the dirt under their feet. Saint Paul at the firſt was taken with the World, it was as a fine Noſegay to him; but afterwards, when he was crucified to the World, and the World to him, he look'd upon it but as a withered Flower.
Thirdly, There are ſome ſpiritual deſires of the Soul, and theſe ſhall be ſatisfied; thoſe thirſts after Grace ſhall be ſatisfied; ſo that a man that once believes in Jeſus Chriſt, ſhall no more thirſt for Grace; no more thirſt for Grace, may ſome ſay? why none thirſt ſo much for Grace, as they that have Grace. It is true, and yet I ſhall make my words good, he ſhall not thirſt for Grace in two ſenſes or reſpects:
Firſt, He ſhall not have a total and painful thirſt after Grace; There is a twofold thirſting, as Divines well obſerve, after Grace:— There is a thirſt ariſing from a total want of Grace; this is a painful and deadly thirſt, now this thirſt for Grace ſhall be quite quenched. — And then there is a thirſt ariſing from a ſenſe of the imperfection of the grace we have; and this thirſt, it is true, ſhall never be fully ſatisfied until we come to Heaven: but the painful thirſt that ſhall be taken away; ſo ſaith our Saviour, John 4.14, Whoſoever ſhall drink of the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall never thirſt, but the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall be in him a Well of water ſpringing up into everlaſting life. Such a one ſhall never have a painful thirſt more.
Secondly, A man that believes in Jeſus Chriſt, ſhall not have a hopeleſs, and helpleſs thirſt; although he may be thirſting after Grace ſtill, yet it is not a hopeleſs thirſt, becauſe he hath a Spring and Storehouſe to go to for ſatisfaction: What is that Spring and Storehouſe? I anſwer, There is a double Spring or Storehouſe:
Firſt, The Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, he is the Fountain of living water, and he is that Spring that refreſheth the Soul; It pleaſed the Father that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell, Col. 1.19
Secondly, The precious Promiſes, they are another Spring for the Souls ſatisfaction. Oh, what refreſhing doth often flow into the Soul from thoſe rich and precious Promiſes!
But it may be you will ſay to me, When ſhall a Believer thus have all his deſires ſatisfied, his ſinful deſires quenched, his ſenſual deſires allayed, and his ſpiritual deſires after grace ſatisfied?
I anſwer, partly in this life, and partly in the life to come: — Partly in this life, his deſires ſhall be ſatisfied, he ſhall have a fulneſs ſuitable to his condition, while he lives upon the Earth: as a Child hath ſtrength ſuitable to a Child; ſo a Believer ſhall have a fulneſs ſuitable to his condition. The Prophet David cries out, My ſoul ſhall be ſatisfied as with marrow and fatneſs, Pſalm 63.5. This was a ſuitable fulneſs. — But then in the life to come, there ſhall be a perfect and compleat ſatisfaction given in to the Soul; then ſhall this Scripture be fulfilled, In thy preſence there is fulneſs of Joy, and at thy right hand are Pleaſures for evermore, Pſalm 16.11. And ſaith he in Pſalm 17.15, As for me, I will behold thy face in righteouſneſs; I ſhall be ſatisfied when I awake with thy likeneſs. In that one Verſe you have a picture of Heaven, which conſiſts in Viſion of God, I will behold thy face in righteouſneſs: in Conformity to God, When I awake with thy likeneſs: in Satisfaction in God, I ſhall be ſatisfied. Viſion of God, Conformity to God, and Satisfaction in God, this makes up Heaven. And that is a moſt precious Scripture, Matth. 25.23, Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. It is as if our Saviour ſhould ſay, This Joy cannot enter into thee becauſe of thy ſtraitneſs, but thou maiſt enter into it becauſe of its largeneſs. The Sea cannot enter into a Hogſhead, becauſe it is a Veſſel that cannot contain it: but the Hogſhead may enter into the Sea, becauſe the Sea can fill it. Every gaping deſire of the Soul ſhall then be ſatiſfied with as much Grace, and Glory, and Holineſs, and Happineſs, as it can be capable of receiving; every Veſſel ſhall then be filled according to its capacity. A Pint, it is true, doth not contain ſo much as a Pottle, but the Pint ſhall be filled, filled as well as the Pottle.
Secondly, But how comes this to paſs, that a Believer ſhall have all his deſires ſatisfied? I ſhall give you but two Reaſons for it:
Firſt, Becauſe Faith makes Jeſus Chriſt a mans own; it is the eſpouſing Grace, it is the Wedding Ring that makes up the Match between Chriſt and the Soul. If Thomas do but put his finger into his Saviours ſide, Oh, ſaith he, My Lord, and my God; now he ſaith, Lord Jeſus thou art mine. The woman as ſoon as ſhe is married to her Husband, is partaker of an intereſt in all his Goods: With all my worldly Goods I thee endow. Thus the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as ſoon as by Faith he is made ours, all his is made ours: He is made of God to us Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification and Redemption.
Secondly, Faith as it makes Jeſus Chriſt ours, ſo by making him ours, it makes God the Father to be ours alſo: Faith makes God our Father to be our Husband, Iſa. 54.5, For thy Maker is thine Husband; It makes God our Father to be our Friend, our Portion, our Shield, our Rock, our Refuge, our Redeemer, our All. Now when Faith hath made Chriſt to be ours, and by Chriſt hath made God to be ours, then we may ſay, All is ours. A man that hath the Sea, cannot want water; he that hath the Sun, cannot want light; he that hath a Golden Mine, cannot want treaſure: So he that hath gotten Jeſus Chriſt to be his Portion, he hath all that his heart can deſire: he ſhall have all his Soul-wants ſatisfied.
Now briefly to make Application, and there are but two Uſes I ſhall ſpeak unto:
Firſt, By way of Conſolation, becauſe that is the proper Uſe of this Doctrine, and therefore I put it in the firſt place. Art thou one that art a true Believer? Haſt thou caſt thy Soul into the arms of Jeſus Chriſt? Haſt thou received Jeſus Chriſt? that is, Haſt thou believed in him? Haſt thou received him in all his Offices, as King, as Prieſt, as Prophet? Art thou as willing to be ruled by him, as to be redeemed by him? Haſt thou got Jeſus Chriſt, not only by outward profeſſion, (ſo all of you have that hear me this day) but haſt thou got Chriſt by inward poſſeſſion, ſo that Chriſt is thine? Oh, lift up thy head with joy! O know aſſuredly, that all thy ſinful deſires ſhall by little and little be quenched; though God do leave ſome corruptions in thee, to conflict with, and to teach thee to prize the Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt at a high rate, yet all theſe ſinful deſires ſhall by little and little be mortified: and all thy ſpiritual deſires fully ſatisfied, though not perfectly in this World, yet when thou comeſt to enjoy him in Glory; but yet here in this life, thou ſhalt have ſo much ſatisfaction, that thou mayſt ſay with the Prophet David, My Soul is ſatisfied as with Marrow and Fatneſs. And all thy ſenſual deſires ſhall be allayed, though it may be thou haſt but a poor pittance of theſe outward things: for God ſees it fit many times that his beſt and ſoundeſt Sheep ſhould be kept on the ſhorteſt Commons: although this be true, that thou haſt but a ſmall pittance of theſe outward things: thou wanteſt riches and honours, and outward accommodations, which are ſo much admired; yet thou mayſt ſay with the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 6.10, As having nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all things: Though I have nothing, yet I poſſeſs all things: How? Really I poſſeſs all things, I have all things in Capite, in Chriſt my Head, and really by Faith: Oh what comfort is this!
Secondly, I might in the ſecond place make this a Touch-ſtone of tryal to diſcover to you whether you be true Believers, or no. Are thy deſires after the World allayed, that now thou canſt ſay with St. Paul, I have learned in every ſtate therewith to be content? Haſt thou not a painful thirſt ariſing from the guilt of a ſelf-accuſing Conſcience, as thou hadſt heretofore? then it is a token that thy Faith is a true Faith; and by this thou mayſt know whether thou art a weak Believer, or a ſtrong Believer; for according to the meaſure of your ſatisfaction in theſe things, ſo you may know the meaſure of your Faith. If thy Soul hath large ſatisfaction, then thou art a ſtrong Believer; but if thy Soul hath but little ſatisfaction, then thou art but a weak Believer.
But to cloſe all with a word of Exhortation, and the Exhortation is to two ſorts briefly:
Firſt, To thoſe that are not Believers.
Secondly, To thoſe that are true Believers.
Firſt, To thoſe that are not Believers, and my Exhortation to them, is this: O you that have not yet cloſed with Jeſus Chriſt; you that have not yet ſeen ſo much beauty in him as to prize him, and inſatiably to deſire him, O that now you would begin to cloſe with him: you that have not been perſwaded by all former Exhortations and Invitations of Miniſters heretofore; be perſwaded now, O come, come to Jeſus Chriſt, come to the water of life: Come buy Wine and Milk, without money, and without price, come to this bread of life; thou mayſt come as freely to Jeſus Chriſt, O Sinner, whoever thou art, as the wounded Iſraelites might come to the Brazen Serpent in the Wilderneſs: O conſider what ſatisfaction is to be found in him! Run through all the courſes of the World, run through all conditions in the World, run through all the delights of the ſons of men, and ſee whether they can give you ſatisfaction, yea or no. Can ſin give you ſatisfaction? Truly, the ſatiſfaction which ſin gives, I will tell you what it is like: it is juſt like the ſprinkling of water upon the Smiths Forge, that makes the fire to burn ſo much the hotter: or like the pouring of Oyl upon a flame, that makes it flame ſo much the fiercer; this is the ſatisfaction that you have by ſin. Or, can the World give you ſatisfaction: Alas, the World deals with you juſt as Abſolom's Mule did with him, leaving his Maſter hanging in the Oak, when he had moſt need of her; ſo when you have moſt need of comfort and relief, Worldly riches and profits they leave you. In a day of wrath can any of theſe give you ſatisfaction? Prov. 11.4, They profit not in a day of wrath. Can any of theſe outward things give you ſatisfaction? alas, the Soul of man hath a kind of infiniteneſs of deſires in it, therefore nothing can give the Soul ſatisfaction, but the infinite mercy of a Gracious God, and the infinite merits of a bleſſed Redeemer, and the infinite Comforts of the Holy Ghoſt. As long as you live without Chriſt, never look for ſatisfaction, look for no ſatisfaction from the things of this life, Iſa. 65.13, Therefore thus ſaith the Lord God, behold, my Servants ſhall eat, but ye ſhall be hungry: my Servants ſhall drink, but ye ſhall be thirſty; behold, my Servants ſhall rejoyce, but ye ſhall be aſhamed. Look for no ſatisfaction from temporal things, and I am ſure in Hell there will be no ſatisfaction for you; for there you will be always thirſting, thirſting with a painful and tormenting thirſt. Dives, although he had never ſo much wealth to tumble himſelf up and down in here while he lived, yet when he came to Hell (though perhaps he might by ſome flattering Preacher in a Funeral Sermon be lodged in Abrahams boſom, yet when he came to Hell) he had not a drop of water to cool his tongue. There is no ſatisfaction to be had in any Enjoyment. nor in any condition, or place, until we come to Jeſus Chriſt, and then we ſhall hunger no more, nor thirſt no more: then all tears ſhall be wiped from our eyes, and ſorrow and grief from our hearts.
My ſecond Exhortation is to true Believers: Oh labour for further degrees of Faith; according to your meaſure of Faith, ſuch will your fulneſs and ſatisfaction be, (Pſalm 81.10) O, could you open your mouths wide: that is, could the deſires of your Souls this day be widened and enlarged, they ſhould all of them be filled: open thy mouth never ſo wide, and God will fill it. Oh, do not content your ſelves with a ſmall meaſure of Faith, but labour for a ſtrong and great Faith; according to your Buckets, ſo ſhall your waters be drawn: Draw water out of the Wells of Salvation, Iſa. 12.3. What are the Wells of Salvation, but God and Jeſus Chriſt, and his Spirit, and the Graces of the Spirit, and the Ordinances of God? theſe are the Wells of Salvation. If you bring but little Buckets, you will get but little water; if you bring large Buckets, you will get a large deal of water. If you bring but little Faith, you will receive but little from Chriſt; but if you bring a ſtrong Faith, a large and ſtrong Bucket, O how much refreſhing and Soul-ſatisfaction might you receive! There are three benefits which you ſhall have by a ſtrong Faith.
Firſt, Faith hath this Property, it makes whatever it toucheth its own; According to thy Faith be it unto thee, Matth. 18.13. So if thy Faith do but touch Jeſus Chriſt, it will make him yours; if it do but touch the Promiſes, it makes them yours. The truth is, there hath been a great deal of talk of the Philoſophers ſtone, but I know no other Philoſophers ſtone, but Faith, and this turns all it toucheth into Gold: Bleſſed is the man that by Faith can touch Jeſus Chriſt; no man ever toucht him by Faith, but was healed by Grace.
Secondly, You ſhall have this benefit: it will yield you abundance of joy and ſatisfaction in the expectation of your deſires, before you come to the fruition of your deſires. You read of the joy of Faith, Phil. 1.25. And the Apoſtle prays for the Romans, that their hearts may be filled with joy and peace in believing, Rom. 15.13. When Hannah had once poured out her Soul before God, now her heart was quieted by Faith, as if ſhe had enjoyed her deſires for the preſent, She went away, and did eat, and her Countenance was no more ſad, 1 Sam. 1.
Thirdly, Faith will reallize all the Promiſes, Heb. 11.1, It is the ſubſtance of things hoped for; it makes things that are abſent, preſent; that are afar off, to be near at hand; it will bring you to Heaven, before you come to Heaven; O what a precious grace is Faith! And this is the grace you will moſt ſtand in need of, in your approaches to the Lords Table. Now the Lord ſtrengthen this hand of Faith, that by it we may make vigorous applications of the blood of Jeſus Chriſt to our poor Souls, who is the living bread that is able to give fit and full ſatisfaction to our Souls: who is that living water, whereof whoſoever drinketh ſhall thirſt no more.