Forty Sermons, Sermon 27
SERMON XXVII.
ISA. 32. 1, 2.
II Sermon at Boſton before Mr. Kirk and other Courtiers.Behold, a King ſhall Reign in Righteouſneſs, and Princes ſhall Rule in Judgment.
And a Man ſhall be as an hiding place from the Wind, and a covert from the Tempeſt, as Rivers of Water in a dry place, and as the ſhadow of a great Rock in a weary Land.
ANd ſo we diſpatched the Text as a Plat-form of other Kings and Princes in Hezekiah's Type; but behold a greater than Hezekiah, yea, than Solomon is here, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, our Melchiſedek, the King of our righteouſneſs and peace; and ſo in this ſecond brief view of the words, as principally meant of him, we have,
Firſt, Chriſts righteous Reign and Government, ver. 1. He, that King, who Reigns in Righteouſneſs, and his Apoſtles and Miniſters, thoſe Princes that rule in Judgment. Of which point, becauſe I have dilated on Pſal. 45. 6. on thoſe words, the Scepter of thy Kingdom is a right Scepter; therefore I here now wholly forbear, and only take a ſhort view of the ſecond part, namely of the bleſſed and peaceable fruits of his Government, ver. 2. That God-Man (whatever Hezekiah, or beſt King is, yet He) above all, is an Hiding-place from the wind, and a Covert from the ſtorm, Rivers of waters, &c. From which we may obſerve briefly,
I. What Chriſt is to us, and therein ſee his All-ſufficiency.
II. What that coſt him, from whence we may more fully deſcry his Love.
1. He is no leſs than foreign, Col. 3. 11. All, and to all, and ſo an All-ſufficient both protection to his People, in the two firſt compariſons, A hiding-place from the Wind, and a Covert from the ſtorm. And refreſhment in the two latter, Rivers of waters in a dry place, and the ſhadow of a great Rock in a weary Land.
But that we may as it were more diſtinctly ſpell this bleſſed Truth, take it aſunder into theſe four, 1. That he is able and ready to help, when greateſt Evils fall on us. 2. Nay, when all meet in us. 3. And yet then be a full help. 4. Moſt proper for our Malady, and moſt ſeaſonable for Time and Occaſion. Which all put together make up this full word of Comfort: That when greateſt Evils befal us, and all evils do round about beſet us, yet then Chriſt protects and refreſheth moſt fully and ſeaſonably.
1. When greateſt Evils befal us: For our bleſſed Eliakim, is ſuch a Nail ſo faſtened in a ſure place, that we may not only hang on him Cups, but Flagons, Iſa. 22. 23, 24. not only our leſſer ſins and miſeries; but if we have but an hand of working Faith, to hang the greateſt and heavieſt in both kinds our Burdens, Pſal. 55. 22. our burdens, though ſo heavy, as otherwiſe would ſink our Bodies into the Grave, and our Souls into Hell; yet of him it's ſaid, that not only Morbos noſtros pertulit, that he hath born our leſſer Griefs, but alſo Dolores noſtros bajulavit, foreign, he hath carried the heavieſt Burden of our Sorrows, as the word ſignifieth. Nor doth this firſt particular weigh down the weight of the words in the Text. foreign here holdeth out the moſt bluſtering Wind, from which yet he hides us; and foreign the moſt violent Storm and Stream, from which yet he covers us. The dry place argueth extremity of Thirſt, which hath with it acuteſt Pain: Which yet theſe Rivers quench and eaſe. And this weary Land implieth the more weary ſweltred Traveller, which yet this Rock ſhades and cooleth. Oh for ever therefore on his Thigh let that Name of his be written, Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, Rev. 19. 16. The greateſt Lord and King, who cures the Grief of our griefs, and Sorrow of ſorrows, even our greateſt Sins and Miſeries, who eaſeth us when the heavieſt fall on us.
2. Nay, when all round about beſet and encompaſs us, foreign, all joy when we fall round about into divers, into all Temptations, James 1. 2. when Rains fall, and Flouds come, and Winds blow.
Ʋna Euruſ que Notuſ que ruunt, creber que procellis
Africus—
and all beat upon the Houſe, yet this Rock upholds it, Mat. 7. 25. When Heaven frowns, and Hell gapes, when the Earth trembles, and the Sea roars, even then Chriſt is foreign, All in all of Comforts in a nothing but Miſery: Yea, when at laſt day, the Elements ſhall paſs away with fervent heat, and the 2 Pet. 3. 10.Earth and all the Works in it ſhall be burnt up. A poor Believer, that then ſhall have Chriſt in his Arms, may ſay, Here's my All: And whilſt he ſtands on the Embers of the burnt World, clap his hands over his Head, and ſay, I thank God I have loſt nothing. This is the ſecond particular. In all our Evils, Chriſt is all our Comfort, a Panacea, a Catholicon, for all Diſeaſes; and which ſtill the Text, without ſtretching, reacheth to, holding out Him as our general Remedy in all, both kinds and meaſures of our Malady: Not only a Hiding-place from the Wind, but alſo a Covert from the Storm. There's refuge from leſſer and greater Evils for degree: Not only for a ſhelter from the Wind, and a Covert from the Storm, which may be applied to the Afflictions of the outward Man, but alſo Rivers of water, and a great ſhady Rock: Which holds out all ſweeteſt refreſhing, againſt the moſt languiſhing Thirſtings and Faintings of the inward Man: So that in all both kinds and degrees, what they ſay he ſpent a whole night, we may not unprofitably ſpend our whole lives in, ſaying, and making it good when we have ſaid it, Chriſtus meus, & omnia, My Chriſt, my All. It was he, that, when asked by Moſes what his Name was, anſwered, I am, Exod. 3. 14. and added no more to tell you what he was, as leaving that to you, to add what your deſires or wants would make him, that are fit to be fulfilled, or ſtand in need to be relived. I am: But ſay you, What? Even whatever you want, or whatever in a right way you would have. Is it Grace? Why, I am that. Is it Peace? And I am that too. Is it outward Comfort and Refreſhment? I am more than that alſo. Here not ſo much Money, as Chriſt, that anſwereth all things, Eccleſ. 10. 19. as Chriſt that anſwereth all things, who is an Hiding-place from the Wind, and a Covert from the Storm, Rivers of waters, &c. Better than Cteſias his River, which he calls foreign. Some of our Rivers we know, named and praiſed for thirty ſorts of Fiſh: But theſe Rivers in the Text are ſuch, as bring in all The Trent.ſorts of Comfort.
3. Yea, and full Tides of them too: For that's the third particular. In greateſt Evils, in all, Chriſt is a full and perfect Defence and Refreſhment: For it's of his Fulneſs that we have all received, John 1. 16. that his Gift may be like Himſelf, both full and Perfect, James 1. 17. Which the Compariſons here fully hold out: For whilſt in the firſt, called an Hiding-place from the wind, he is compared to a ſtrong and warm Roof and Houſe, which is Sarta Tecta, In which the Man ſits fully ſafe and ſtill, amidſt all the moſt whisking and bluſtering Winds, that make ſuch a puffing about him, and as it were ſo hid in it, that foreign a foreign o…cultavit.the VVind cannot find him out, or blow his leaſt Candle or Comfort out: And when in the ſecond, called a Covert from the ſtorm, or Sea-Tempeſt, he therein is compared to ſome Houſe or Receptacle in an high Rock in the Sea, which higheſt Tides or Storms reach not; How fiercely doth ſuch an one hear the Waves beat, and the Sea roar about him, and yet he in Latibulo, in his ſecure Hold? how quiet doth he ſit and ſleep as in greateſt Calms? The third Compariſon yet more full, when called Rivers of waters in a dry place. One River would argue fulneſs, and a conſtant Current too, according to that, Iſa. 48. 18. Then thy Peace had been as the River: But when it's here added Rivers in the plural Number, it expreſſeth the over-flowing Bounty and Grace of Chriſt, that his Church need not fear Drought; when like Eden, it hath four Rivers to water it. And the laſt Compariſon as ſtrong as any when called, the Shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land: In which a threefold Emphaſis.
Firſt, A Shadow: How fully contentful to the ſwelted Traveller or Labourer, who therefore gapes after it? Job 7. 2. But it may be like a ſhadow of ſome ſlender Tree, which the Light and Heat gets through, and is wavering it ſelf, and ſo its ſhade more unconſtant. No: But
Secondly, Of a Rock, moſt firm and ſpiſs it ſelf, and therefore its ſhadow more opake and cooling. But it may be the Rock is but li…e, and therefore the ſhadow of it cannot be great. And therefore, although it may refreſh the Traveller for a little time, whilſt he is in it, and near it; but ſo as he is ſoon out of it, and then never the better for it. No; and therefore it's added,
Thirdly, That it's the ſhadow of a great Rock, ſo great as will reach the weary Traveller afar off, and in which it may be he may with much refreſhment walk a great part of his way, and it may be, all his day-long. Now ſuch a Rock is our Saviour, and ſuch and ſo great is the comfortable ſhade of his Protection and Love, that it will reach a weary Traveller to Heaven, even when a great way off, in the very ſhadow of Death, and in the comfortable Refrigerium whereof he may walk all his way, and all his day-long: Unleſs he will run out of it to play the Wanton in Sin, or the World's Sun-ſhine. A fourth Emphaſis there is, that it's a Shade of a Rock, of a great Rock, and that in a weary Land. But that moſt properly belongs to
Fourthly, The fourth particular, That, As Chriſt's Protection and Refreſhment is full, ſo it's fit and proper: A Remedy fitted for the Malady, and an Help ſuited to the Opportunity and Exigence: Like the Manna of old, which, they ſay, fitted every Palat. He is the Shadow of a great Rock, and that in a weary Land, where it is moſt welcome. Rivers of waters, but withal in a dry Place, where moſt needful. An Hiding-place, but from the VVind, which elſe would overthrow, and a Covert, but from the Storm, which elſe would overflow all. Chriſt ſo ſetting off the Beauty of his Grace with a graceful Foil, and ſo diſpenſing his Mercies that they may not only be great, but alſo fit and ſeaſonable; and ſo thereby he doubles his Praiſe, and their Comfort by it. Whilſt the Apple of Gold is in a Picture of Silver: Whilſt the former and later Rain is ſent down in their ſeaſons: When the Hungry are fed, and the Naked clothed: Not as Mens favours ſometimes, which, becauſe not laid right on, pinch the Back and prove Burdens; like a Roof in fair weather, and a Shade in VVinter, when the Sun-ſhine would do better: But the dry Place here is the poor Soul, and the weary Land is the heavy laden Sinner, weary of Sin and Sorrow, and thirſting and groaning after Peace and Righteouſneſs; who could beſt tell you how welcome the Rivers of water would be to the chaſed Hart, Pſal. 42. 1. and the Shadow to the poor labouring Creature, that even Job 7. 2.pants and gapes after it. Now ſuch a foreign, ſuch an All-ſufficient H…lp and Comfort is our dear Saviour, who, when greateſt evils befal us, and all evils fall round about us, is even then bringing in fulleſt and ſeaſonableſt ſupplies, is an Hiding-place from the Wind, and a Covert from the Storm, as Rivers of waters in a dry place; and as the Shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land. And hereby we have ſeen his All-ſufficiency by what he is to us.
2. In the ſecond place we from a ſecond view of the words are to deſcry his Love by what this coſt him, an enduring of that himſelf, from which he freed us. The Roof takes upon it the Wind, and the Bank the Stream, and the Rock the Sun's ſcorching; that the Man may be ſhrowded, the Land preſerved, the poor Traveller ſhaded. Even thus did our dear Saviour interpoſe himſelf betwixt us and his Fathers wrath, in his own body to take that thruſt, which elſe would for ever have ſped us; the right Paſchal Lamb himſelf ſcorched and roſted in the fire for the People of God to feaſt with; who for our ſakes became poor, that by his Poverty we may be made rich, 2 Cor. 8, 9. a faithful Surety indeed, who makes himſelf liable to the Debt, and paid it, that we may be diſcharged of it, arraigned, that we might be diſmiſſed, there ſilent, that we might have ſomething to plead, condemned, that we might be acquited; that Lamb of God, John 1. 29. foreign. Which word and phraſe will indifferently ſignify the taking away the ſin of the world by himſelf bearing the puniſhment of it; for ſo indeed by bearing our griefs he he hath carried away our ſorrows, Iſa. 53. 4. the chaſtiſement of our peace being on him, ſo that by his ſtripes we are healed, verſ. 5. In what a bluſtering Storm of God's wrath ſhould we have been, blowen away by it as Chaff before the Wind, if Chriſt had not taken it upon him to ſhelter us; and how had we thirſted and fainted quite away if the ſcorching heat of his Fathers wrath had not lighted on him, and Rivers and Streams of his Blood had not ſweetly flowen from him to have revived and refreſhed us? Our Cure in his Wounds, our Healing in his Stripes, our Life in his Death; even he thirſts and dyes that in our greateſt heats and Joh. 19. 28, 29, 30.ſtraits we might not thirſt, but live eternally. So that however our Life and Peace came to us by free gift, yet he payed dear for it, whileſt he became as the hiding-place from the rain, and covert from the ſtorm; as rivers of waters in a dry place, and the ſhadow of a great rock in a weary land.
And thus from the words, by what he is and hath done to us, we have ſeen his Alſufficiency, and by what it coſt him we have deſcried his Bounty and Love.
For Application, let the conſideration of the firſt
Call upon us not to reſt, till we have gotten ſure intereſt in him, as the only all-ſufficient means and Author of our comfort Ʋſe. 1 and peace. If he be not our Shelter, the ſtrongeſt Caſtle or Palace will not keep out the blaſt of Gods diſpleaſure, nor the ſtrongeſt Banks we can make, an over-flowing Deluge of his wrath: which is the reaſon why, Iſa. 28. 16. comes in ſo between the 15, and 17. verſes. Though they think, that they have banked it out ſo high and ſo ſtrong, that the over flowing ſcourge ſhould not paſs over to them, verſ. 15. yet, unleſs God lay in Zion this precious tried Foundation-ſtone, (verſ. 16.) the truth is, they are but lies that they have made their refuge, and its but falſhood, under which they have hid themſelves: and the Hail will ſweep away ſuch a refuge, and the waters will overflow ſuch a hiding-place, verſ. 17. For Chriſt only is the Covert from the ſtorm. If the ſtreams of his bloud quench not our thirſt, the rich man's beſt wines and choiceſt drinks will not prevent his tongue's ſcorchings in Hell, and out of the ſhadow of his wings the beſt other skreens will end but in the ſhadow of death in Hell's gloomy Vault, ſhading, but not cooling, dark and hot, where the fire burns, but ſhines not; and therefore to a Chriſtian with the holy Martyr, None but Chriſt, None but Chriſt; becauſe indeed none but Chriſt can do all that hath been ſhewed in the former particulars he doth. Some may be a means of comfort and help from evils, but not from greateſt: Others from ſome of the greateſt, but not from all; or if from all, yet never fully, or not alwayes ſeaſonably. The Bed will be too ſhort, as the Prophet ſpeaks, Iſa. 28. 20. for a man to ſtretch his whole length on, and the Covering too ſcant to wrap himſelf all over round about with; when Lion and Fox-skin both ſewed together will not perfectly ſecure, the Lamb's bloud will. I have ſeen an end to all other perfections, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, but thy Commandment is exceeding broad, Pſal. 119. 96. and his promiſes in Chriſt as broad; in length reaching to all our times, and in breadth to cover all our wants, and therefore, as St. Auſtin ſweetly, in finem In Pſal. 55.cum audis, &c. When thou heareſt to the end, do thou intend Chriſt, who is not only the way, but alſo the end too; ſo that quicquid eſt ubi infra ſteteris, antequam ad Chriſtum pervenias, nil tibi aliud Sermo Divinus dicit, niſi accede, &c. Although in thy purſuit thou ſhouldſt have overtaken all comforts beſide, and as yet falleſt ſhort of Chriſt, God hath nothing to ſay to thee elſe, but in finem ſtill up and ſeek, thou art not yet come to thy reſt; nor as yet lighted on that receipt that will fully and properly heal and help all even thy greateſt Maladies. Now therefore again up and ſeek; and that where he may be ſeen in Providences, Ordinances, in Word, Sacraments; and although thy caſe be ill, afflicted and toſſed with tempeſts, ſcorched with heat, and ſpent with thirſt, yet leave not ſeeking, till there you find him to be all this in the Text, even an hiding-place from the wind. So firſt, as ſuch, ſeek him.
As ſuch when found, truſt and reſt and glory in him, and improve Ʋſe 2 him. Thou mayeſt then cry aloud thy foreign, I have found him whom my ſoul loveth; and that, as theſe compariſons expreſs it, every way happily, for Chriſt was born in Bethlehem Ephrata, Mic. 5. 2. The firſt word whereof ſignifieth an houſe of bread, and the other fruitfulneſs. There's therefore no ſtarving or pining there. In thy Fathers houſe there's bread enough, yea and phyſick enough too for every diſeaſe, as St. Ambroſe fully on Pſal. 119. 57. thoſe words, Portio mea Domine, O Lord thou art my portion. And indeed a naked Chriſt is Portion enough beſides all other Bequeſts and Legacies. To this purpoſe it's worth the marking, that Pſal. 81. 8. God ſeems to make way to ſpeak of ſome great matter, which he would with greedy attention have liſtned to; Hearken, O my people, and I will teſtifie, O Iſrael, if thou wilt hearken unto me, as though ſome great promiſe were to follow, and ſo there doth: but what is it? ſee verſ. 9, 10. That there ſhall be no ſtrange God amongſt them beſides him, as though he by himſelf were all-ſufficient enough, and Abraham's exceeding great reward without them. So happy every way thou art, if thou haſt him: but more happy, if every way we could improve him: for, as God would have none of our parts and abilities lye idle; ſo neither would he have any thing in him, that we have intereſt in, not improved. And therefore ſeeing Chriſt and Godlineſs are profitable for all things, we ſhould in greater and leſſer wants and evils improve Chriſt and have recourſe to him, that even to us and in our particular, whether inward or outward bluſterings and thirſtings and faintings we may find him as an hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the ſtorm, that thy thirſty ſoul may find him rivers of waters in that dry place, and thy tired-out ſpirit, the ſhadow of a great rock in a weary land.
This the Application of what Chriſt is to us.
For that other, what it coſt him.
Firſt, ſee thy ſin in the ſufferings of thy Saviour: what he did Ʋſe 1 endure thou ſhouldſt have done. And therefore, ſinful ſoul, look upon thy Chriſt arraigned, condemned, whipt, curſed, crucified, and ſay, all this I ſhould have been. Tua O guloſa gula, &c. as he ſaith. Drunkard, it was thy ſugred cup that made Chriſt drink Gall and Vinegar. Proud haughty one, it was thy pride, that hung thy Saviour between thieves: thy gayneſs, proud Peacock, that crowned him with thorns. It was the wantonneſs of thy fleſh, that pierced thy Saviour's with nails, and tore it with whips; and therefore when thou ſeeſt thy Saviour's blood ariſe in his wounds, let thine in an holy bluſh ariſe in thy face, and ſay, all this blaſt and ſtorm, which the roof endured, and all that ſcorching heat, which the rock is beaten upon with, was procured by my ſins, and had not Chriſt interpoſed, had certainly lighted on my perſon, and therefore I'l firſt loath both.
But ſecondly, the more love him, yea more than our ſelves, ſaying with Ignatius foreign, In Chriſt as my ſins ſo my love was crucified; and by way of thankfulneſs though it never be a requital, I'l interpoſe my deareſt right hand to ſave my Head from wounding. The ſervant ſhall willingly put his own body between his Maſter and the thruſt, to ſave his diſhonour, who by ſo doing hath himſelf ſaved his ſoul, even by being an hiding-place from the wind, a covert from the ſtorm, rivers of waters in a dry place, the ſhadow of a great rock in a weary land.
Tibi Domine Jeſu.