Christ All and in All, Sermon 7
ESAY 32. 2.
And a man ſhall be as a hiding place VIII. SERM. a… Mary Wolnoth. Lon. Feb. 8. 1651.from the winde.
IN this Chapter we have a glorious prophecy of the ſpiritual Kingdome of Chriſt. It's written by the Prophet for the conſolation of the Church in her preſent afflicted condition. This Prophecy hath four parts.
1. The conſtitution of this Kingdome, ver. 1. to 9.
2. An exhortation given unto the people, by repentance to prevent the miſeries which ſhould happen before the conſtitution of this Kingdom, v. 9. to 15.
3. A deſcription of that good which the godly ſhould receive from this Kingdom, v. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19.
4. The concluſion of all in that Epiphonema, v. 20. wherin the Prophet compares the people of God to thoſe happy husbandmen, who are in expectation of a plentiful harveſt, after their labours and coſt in tilling and ſowing. Bleſſed are they that ſow beſide all waters, that ſend forth thither the feet of the oxe and the aſſe. In the conſtitution of this Kingdom two things are to be obſerved.
(1.) The ſafe adminiſtration of it. This is in the two former verſes. Behold a King, &c. By King, we are to underſtand Chriſt the King of his Church; by Princes we are to underſtand thoſe that do under Chriſt adminiſter this Kingdome. 'Tis an allegory taken from humane Kingdomes, in which the King himſelfe, and all his officers do adminiſter in righteouſneſſe. The ſafety of this government is expreſſed in the ſecond verſe, And a man ſhall be as a hiding-place from the winde, &c.
2. The true ſimplicity of it in the publick and private adminiſtration of all things, and all perſons, ver. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. And the eyes of them that ſee ſhall not be dim, &c. the adminiſtration of this Kingdome ſhall be with ſincerity as well as ſafety. God would give men eyes to ſee and eares to hear. Thoſe that before were ſpiritually blind and deaf, ſhould now have ſpiritual eyes to ſee, and ears to hear. Thoſe that were raſh and heady, ſhould now understand knowledge, thoſe that ſtammerd in the things of Chriſt ſhould now ſpeak plainly, v. 3, 4. yea, there ſhould be ſuch ſimplicity in the adminiſtration of this Kingdome, that vices ſhould not be called any more by the names of vertues; evil ſhould not be called good, nor good evil, but every thing ſhould be called by its own name, ver. 5, 6, 7, 8. The vile perſon ſhall be no more called liberal, nor the churle ſaid to be b…untiful, &c. Holineſſe ſhall be called holineſſe, covetouſneſſe covetouſneſſe, baſeneſſe ſhall be called baſeneſſe under this ſpiritual Kingdom of Chriſt.
The Text falls under the firſt of theſe; viz. the ſafe adminiſtration of this Kingdome. And a man, &c. we may divide it into two parts. 1. A danger hinted, Winde. 2. A remedy diſcovered, in which are,
1. The Protector. A man. 'Tis ille vir foreign with an Article, this man. 'Tis the King mentioned in the former verſe; he that is there called King, is here called a man. 'Tis Chriſt who is a man, and more then a man, God-man. This is the Protector.
2. The Protection. This is ſet down by way of compariſon. Here are foure reſemblances. 1. As a hiding place from the winde. 2. As a covert from the tempeſt. 3. As rivers of water in a drie place. 4. As the ſhadow of a great rock in a weary land. I am now to ſpeak of the firſt, namely, a hiding place from the winde. By winde we are to underſtand, troubles, afflictions, tempeſtuous ſtormes, whether they be outward or inward. Here are four words which all ſignifie one and the ſame thing; onelyonly they are varyed a little, that they may be fitted to the ſeveral metaphors: winde, tempeſt, a dry place, a weary land, Trials, tribulations, temptations are uſually called winde in Scripture, as Matth. 25. 27. The raine deſcended, and the windes blew, and the floods came, &c. Two Obſervations lie cleere in the Text.
1. That godly men muſt expect windy days even in the times of the Goſpel.
2. That Jeſus Chriſt is a hiding place to beleevers in all the windy dayes which they meet with in this life.
I ſhall begin with the firſt, viz.
Doct. 1. That godly men muſt expect to meet with windy dayes even under the Kingdome of Chriſt: Chriſts Kingdom, though it be a glorious Kingdome, yet it is not without ſtormy windes and tempeſts. There is under the Kingdome of Chriſt a great deal of inward peace, ſerenity and calmneſſe under the Kingdome of Chriſt. The Scripture foretels this, Pſal. 72. 7. In his dayes ſhall the righteous flouriſh, and abundance of peace, ſo long as the moone endureth, Eſay 32. 17, 18. The work of righteouſneſſe ſhall be peace, &c. And my people ſhall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in ſure dwellings, and in quiet reſting places. And the Scripture makes mention of external peace and quietneſſe which ſhall be under the Kingdome of Chriſt, Eſay 11. 6, 7, 8. The wolf alſo ſhall dwell with the lamb, &c. And, Mic. 4. 3, 4 He ſhall judge among many people, and rebuke ſtrong Nations afar off; and they ſhall break their ſwords into plow-ſhares, and their ſpears into pruning books, &c. Theſe and many prophecies of this nature are yet, I ſuppoſe, to be fulfilled, and they ſhall have their accompliſhment before the end of this life. But yet beleevers are to meet with windy dayes even in Goſpel times.
1. Windy dayes of outward troubles. Outward afflictions of all ſorts are to be expected, ſickneſſe, weakneſſe, poverty, reproach, perſecution and all other evils. Theſe windes have blown very ſharp upon the Apoſtles, Diſciples, Martyrs, and other ſervants of God in their generations; yea, upon whole Churches, the ſeven Churches are overturned by them. And they do ſo continue to this very day. Through many tribulations we muſt enter into the Kingdome of heaven. This was Pauls Doctrine, Act. 14. 22. Ye ſhall have tribulation ten days; this meſſage is ſent by Chriſt to the Church of Smyrna, Rev. 3. 10. And our Saviour himſelf foretold the Church before his departure, that theſe winds would ariſe, Joh. 16. 33. In the world ye ſhall have tribulation. And Rev. 11. 22. the holy City is given unto the Gentiles to be trod under foot fourty two moneths, and ver. 3. of that Chapter, the witneſſes ſhall for the ſpace of one thouſand two hundred ſixty dayes (which is the whole time of Antichriſts reigne) prophecy in ſackcloth; and to this very day we ſee they have their ſackcloth upon their loynes. Till the fall of Antichriſt theſe windy dayes will not be over.
2. Windy dayes of inward troubles; Temptations, deſertions, inward fears and ſhakings in the ſoul. There will be theſe ſpiritual earthquakes and agonies in the ſoules of Gods people even in Goſpel-times. This winde did beat violently upon the Apoſtles; without were ſightings, within were feares, 2 Cor. 7. 5. Paul felt theſe windes make a horrible noiſe in his bowels, in thoſe fierce buffettings of Satan which he ſpeaks of, 2 Cor. 12. 7. yea, theſe windes blew fiercely upon Chriſt himſelf, when he uttered thoſe doleful words; Eli, Eli, Lamaſab achthani, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? Mat. 27. …6. And if the King of the Church met with ſuch a windy day of temptation, as we read, Mat. 4. init. and of deſertion, as we read in this Text; the ſubjects muſt expect to meet with them. I ſhall give you a treble account of this point.
1. There is a devil, an Antichriſt, wicked men even under Chriſts Kingdom.
2. There is ſinne under the Goſpel. And where there is ſinne, there cannot but be windes. The winde is (as the Philoſopher teacheth us) an exhalation ariſing from the earth, drawn upwards by the power of the Sunne, which meeting with the cold of the middle region of the aire, is beaten back againe; it is ſo light that it cannot deſcend, and ſo violently reſiſted that it cannot aſcend, therefore it is carried aſlaunt with a mighty violence through the aire. The matter of windes is an exhalation mixed for the Magir. Phyſ.moſt part with vapours, from whence it is that the winde is ſometimes moiſt. The ſame exhalations or vapours incloſed in the bowels of the earth, and not finding an open paſſage cauſe an earthquake. Sinne is the matter of ſpiritual windes without, and ſpiritual earthquakes within. Now as there will be windes and earthquakes where there is the matter of them; ſo there cannot but be the windes of outward troubles, and the earthquakes of ſpiritual troubles where ſinne is, which doth ingender and breed both theſe. Now the people of God ſinne under the Goſpel, and from their ſinnes do theſe windes and earthquakes proceed. Sinne creates ſtormes in Goſpel-dayes.
3. Theſe windes are for the advantage of beleevers even under the Goſpel; ye are in affliction if need be, through manifold temptations, 1 Pet 16. The windes are not more neceſſary for the world, then theſe windes are for the ſoules of Gods people even in Goſpel times; I ſhall ſhew you the uſefulneſſe of the windes of heaven for the earth, and ſhew you the uſefulneſſe of theſe ſpiritual windes in the ſame reſpects to the ſoul. Conſider the parallel in five things.
1. The winde is uſeful for purification. The winde cleanſeth and ſweetens the aire, carries away & diſperſes noyſom and infectious vapours that are hurtful to the bodies of men and other creatures; the winde is ventilabrum naturae, natures fan by which all putrefying vapours are driven away, Vid. Job 37. 21. Men ſee not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the winde paſſeth and cleanſeth them. Theſe ſpiritual winds, both inward and outward have, when ſanctified by God, a purifying vertue. Thoſe corrupting infectious miſts and vapours of ſinne which pollute the ſoule, are purged and driven away by the blaſts of theſe windes. Dan. 11. 35. Many ſhall fall, …o try them, and to purge them, and to make them white. No ſoule is ordinarily ſo full of infectious ſavour as thoſe that want theſe windes. Moab hath been at eaſe from his youth, &c, Eſay 48. 11. And no Chriſtians have ſuch ſweet ſoules as thoſe that are frequently viſited with theſe windes of trouble. Corruption will hardly faſten where theſe windes do ordinarily blow. Saints have foggy ſouls in Goſpeltimes.
2. The winde hath a ſearching vertue. It's a penetrating creature; If there be the leaſt chink or cranie, the winde will finde it out. As the light findes out the leaſt hole, ſo doth the winde. Theſe ſpiritual windes are of a ſearching and diſcovering nature. Temptations, deſertions, outward troubles, will ſearch the very inward parts of the ſoul. Chriſtians have found out thoſe defects in themſelves, which they could never eſpy till God ſent theſe windes to blow upon them. Many holes and cranies they have ſeen in their own ſpirits; which they could never diſcerne till theſe windy days aroſe upon them. He openeth their years to diſcipline, and ſhews them wherein they have exceeded, Job 36. 9. Tranſgreſſions, exceſſes, and ſpiritual defects too are found out by theſe winds and tempeſts. Our Saviour layes down this uſeful effect of theſe tempeſtuous dayes, Mat. 7. 25, 27. the winds blew, &c. and it fell not, &c. Great windes do diſcover whether your houſes be made of firme timber, or of ſhaking rotten wood. Theſe ſpiritual windes are great diſcoverers, eſpecially if they be in extremity. A ſword ſhall pierce through thine own ſoul alſo, that the thoughts of many hearts may be diſcovered. The words of Simeon to the Virgin-Mary, Luke 2. 35. the ſtony ground is not diſcovered till theſe windes ariſe, but then 'tis fully diſcovered, Mat. 13. 20, 21. No Chriſtian knows himſelfe ſo thoroughly as he that hath travelled thorough theſe guſts of trouble. Peter did not know his own weakneſſe till theſe high windes had ſearched him; then he ſaw the unworthy fear and Apoſtaſie of his own heart, Mat. 26. 70, 72, 74. Peter did not know his own diſtruſtfulneſſe till the winde began to be boiſtrous, then he ſaw he could ſink as well as another man, Mat. 14. 30. Saints need ſelf-diſcovery under Chriſts Kingdome.
3. The winde hath a cooling vertue. When the aire is heated by the ſcortching beames of the Sunne, the winde paſſeth thorough it, and brings it into a coole temper againe. Theſe ſpiritual windes coole the ſoul. Chriſtians are ſometimes ſcalding-hot in the purſuit of the world, or perhaps of ſome ſinne. God ſtirs up theſe windes and cooles that heat. Some ſharp winde of diſtreſſe of conſcience, ſome guſt of temptation, ſome piercing blaſt of trouble abares thoſe feveriſh heats, removes that eagerneſſe which was before in the ſoul after things that cannot profit. That winde of God that blew in Pauls face, coold that zeal for perſecution which was in his heart, Acts 9. 1, 3, 4.
4. The wind makes men keep their garments cloſer about them. You have heard of the fable of the Sunne and the Winde ſtriving for the Travellers cloak; the iſſue was, the Sunne got it; the more violently the Winde blew, the faſter he held it. Theſe ſpiritual Windes make the ſoul look better to his ſpiritual garments; he holds all his graces faſter then, then at another time. He keeps his faith, his hope, his patience, his integrity tackt cloſe about him. Job never was ſo careful of keeping his garments, as when he met with theſe windes. Vid. Chap. 27. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. As God liveth ſaith he, who hath taken away my judgement, &c. All that while my breath is in me, &c. my righteouſneſſe I hold faſt and will not let it go, till I die I will not remove my integrity from me. Souldiers never keep their armour ſo carefully as when they come to an encounter. Chriſtians are never ſo careful of their ſpiritual harneſſe as when the windes of tribulation and temptation beat upon them; And we have need to keep our garments even under the Goſpel.
5. The winde hath an awakening power. When it lifts up its voice with violence, the noiſe is ſo dreadful, that ſleep is taken away from thoſe that heare it. The Mariner cannot ſleep when the windes are up. The Ship-maſter wondred that Jonah could ſleep when the Windes were ſo high, and the Sea ſo raging, Jonah 1. 6. Theſe ſpiritual Windes awaken the ſoule out of ſloath and carnal ſecurity. When there is an earthquake of inward trouble in the conſcience; when there is a tempeſt of outward trouble upon the body, the ſoul is made more watchful then ever it was; if theſe ſtormes be ſanctified it will be ſo. Pſal. 78. 4. Thou holdeſt mine eyes waking, ſaith Aſaph. That ſtorme of temptation which then lay upon him, kept the eyes of his ſoul waking, as well as the eyes of his body. That earthquake which was at midnight, when Paul and Silas ſang praiſes to God, awakened the ſleepy Jaylor, Act. 16. 26, 27. the natural conſcience is ſtartled by ſuch providences, much more is the regenerate conſcience. Theſe Windes are Gods Phyſick which he uſeth to remove ſpiritual ſecurity; and God will make it effectual to accompliſh his end. Jonah ſlept a while, but God did awake him both in his ſleepy body, and more ſleepy ſoule, before theſe windes ceaſed blowing, Mat. 26, 40, 41, 43. Saints under the Goſpel have need of awakening.
The Uſes of this.
Uſe 1. Expect theſe windy dayes. Do not think that now the Goſpel is come, now Chriſts Kingdome is ſet up, ſtormes are at an end. God doth every day confute this folly. The end of one tempeſt hath been the beginning of another. Hitherto it hath been ſo, and we can ſee nothing to make us think that it ſhall yet be otherwiſe. If you beleeve not this truth, you will have little benefit by the next doctrine. The windes will be very high in the Church of God. This is evident in Scripture; however it be, this is our comfort; Theſe Windes if we be godly, will blow us faſter to heaven; and the higher the Windes are, the neerer is the calme. Expect outward ſtorms. Expect inward tempeſts. Do not beleeve your ſelves to be paſt either of theſe. Our former ſtorms may perhaps prove calm weather, if they be compared with our future tempeſts. Preparing for them will be no prejudice if they never come. When you are out of one temptation, look for another before Antichriſts utter down-fall.
Uſe 2. Get good proviſion againſt theſe windy dayes come. Take to your ſelves the whole Armour of God that ye may ſtand when the Winds are at the higheſt. Whether they be tempeſts without, or ſtormes within; outward blaſts, or inward earthquakes. 'Tis the Apoſtles counſel, Eph. 6. 13, 14. God that foretels evil dayes, hath provided Armour of proofe againſt thoſe dayes. Take this Armour. 1. No other Armour will ſerve, Sauls Armour will not ſerve Gods ſouldiers. 2. This Armour will ſerve, it was never battered, it will never be broken. Take it therefore and put it on. 1. Put it on wholly. 2. Put it on ſpeedily. 3. Uſe it when it is on. 4. When you have done all, hide your ſelves in Chriſt, who is here called for their comfort, Latibulum à vento: of which comfortable point I ſhall ſpeak the next time.