Christ All and in All, Sermon 8
ESAY 32. 2.
And a man ſhall be as a hiding place IX. SERM. at Mary Wolnoth. Lon. Feb. 15. 1651.from the winde.
TWo things I obſerved in this Text.
1. A danger intimated, in this word, Winde.
2. A remedy preſcribed, A man ſhall be as a hiding place.
The Obſervations were two.
1. That Chriſtians muſt expect to meet with windy dayes, even under the Kingdome of Chriſt. Of which I have ſpoken.
Doct 2. That Jeſus Chriſt is the beleevers hiding place in all the windy dayes which they meet withal in the world.
He is latibulum, or Abſconſio à vento, whether they be windy dayes of outward trouble, or windy dayes of inward trouble, temptation, deſertion, diſcouraging feares and terrours. Chriſt is a hiding place to them in all theſe days and in all theſe caſes. Here are foure words uſed in this text, which ſet out this hiding vertue that is in Chriſt, hiding place, covert, rivers of water, ſha…ow of a rock. Many other Scriptures bear pregnant teſtimony to this truth. Eſay 4. 5, 6. The Lord will creat… upon Mount Sion, upon every dwelling place of Mount Sion, and upon all her aſſemblies, a cloud, &c. This is ſpoken of Chriſt the beautiful branch of the Lord, v. 2. This glorious and beautiful branch, the root of the ſtock of Jeſſe ſhall be a cloud, and ſmoak, a defence, a Tabernacle, a ſhadow, a place of refuge, a covert, and that not to one, but to every dwelling place of Mount Sion, and to all her Aſſemblies. To this agrees that of our Saviour, Cant. 2. 14. O my dove that art in the clefts of the rock, and in the ſecret place of the staires. Jeſus Chriſt is this cleft of the rock, he is this ſecret place of the ſtaires. Chriſt is called Shiloh, Gen. 49. 10. Shiloh is from the root foreign which ſignifies in quiet… vel pace agere, tranquille & in otio vivere, all ſafety is in Chriſt. The tunicle in which the infant is wrapt in the mothers belly, is called by the Hebrews Shiloh, becauſe it lies there ſecurely out of fear. In the proſecution of this point, I ſhall open theſe three things.
1. What it is in Chriſt that is a hiding place.
2. What it is of theirs that Chriſt hides.
3. Why Chriſt is a hiding place to them.
1. There are ſeveral things in Jeſus Chriſt which make up this hiding place: indeed every thing in Chriſt is a hiding place. I ſhall inſtance in ſome.
1. The providence of Chriſt. The Scripture tells us that the eyes of the Lord runne to and fro thoroughout the earth, 2 Chron. 16. 9. Jeſus Chriſt hath the ſame watchful eyes of providence over his people that the Father hath, Col. 3. 17. By him all things conſiſt. It's one Argument Divines bring to prove Chriſts divinity, becauſe be governs the world by his providence, as the Father doth, John 5. 17. My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. It's meant of his providential working. And Heb. 1. 3. Chriſt is ſaid to uphold all things by the Word of his Power, which is an act of providence. Now as Chriſt by his providence watcheth over all things and and creatures; ſo do his eyes watch continually over his people. Eſay 27. 3. I the Lord do keep it, I will keep it night and day. This is one great ſtone of this biding place.
2. The Attributes of Chriſt. All the Divine Attributes are aſcribed to Chriſt as well as to the Father. Eternity, Micah 5. 2. Almightineſſe, Eſa… 9. 6. Omniſcience, Heb. 4. 13. It's ſpoken of Chriſt our high Prieſt. Wiſdome, Prov. 9. 1. He is called God onelyonly wiſe, Jude 25. All theſe Attributes are as ſo many ſtones that make this hiding place. Prov. 18. 10. The Name of the Lord is a ſtrong Tower. Chriſts name the Prophet mentions, Eſay 9. …. Wonderful, Counſellor, &c. every one of theſe names is a room in this hiding place.
3. The Promiſes of Chriſt. All the promiſes of God are in Chriſt yea, and in him Amen, 2 Cor. 1. 20. Chriſt hath purchaſed them; they all have their ratification and accompliſhment in Chriſt. The Scripture is full of promiſes of all ſorts; of protection, proviſion, deliverance, ſalvation. Every promiſe is a piece of this hiding-place. Pſ. 18. 30. The Word of the Lord is tryed. He is a buckler to them that truſt in him. Chriſts Word of Promiſe is the ſouls defence.
4. The merits of Christ. Chriſt hath by the ſhedding of his blood merited for his Elect whatſoever is neceſſary. Theſe merits are a beleevers hiding place. O my dove that art in the clefts of the rock, Cant. 2. 14. thoſe foramina petrae are vulnera Chriſt…. There the beleever hides himſelf in the time of danger. As the dove when ſhe is purſued flies to her windows; ſo the beleever flies to the wounds of Chriſt, and there is hid.
5. The interceſſion of Chriſt. The Scripture tells us that Chriſt appeares continually before the Father for us, he is ſtill moving for us at the right hand of God. His Interceſſion in heaven is the beleevers Sanctuary on earth. So the Apoſtle tells us in two places, Heb. 6. 18, 19, 20. and Heb. 7. 25. He is able to ſave, &c. becauſe he lives for ever to make Interceſſion for us. Chriſt directs Peter to this, Luke 22. 31.
2. What it is of a beleever that Chriſt is a hiding place unto.
1. Chriſt is a hiding place to the outward man. He hides that in time of ſtormes, Chriſt hides that two wayes.
(1.) Sometimes he hides it from danger. He keeps his people from the rage of them that would ſwallow them. Thus the Church was hid, Rev, 12. 6. The woman fled into the Wilderneſſe, where ſhe hath a place prepared of God, that they ſhould feed her there one thouſand two hundred ſixty dayes. Thus David was often hid from the fury of Saul, and his Courtiers that ſought his life.
(2) Sometimes God hides it in danger. That though his people be in danger, yet they are not deſtroyed. Thus the Church was hid in Egypt. The buſh was burning, & yet was not conſumed, Ex. 3. 2.
2. Chriſt is a hiding place to the inward man. And herein he excells all other hiding places.
(1) He hides the ſoul from ſinne. The beſt of his people would ſinne more frequently, and more grievouſly, if Jeſus Chriſt did not hide them from ſin.
(2) He hides the ſoule from temptations. He chaines up Satan from tempting them, that he cannot bait them ſo furiouſly as he would; and when he ſuffers Satan to tempt, he doth not ſuffer them to be utterly overcome. Thus he was a hiding place to Peter, Luke 22. 31. Thus he was a hiding place to Saint Paul, 2 Cor. 12. 7. Though he did not hide him from being buffetted, yet he hid him from being vanquiſhed by thoſe buffettings.
(3) He hides their graces. Their faith, their hope, their patience, their humility, &c. were not Chriſt a hiding place to their very graces; they would wither, they would die, they would come to nothing: he hides the root of grace, keeps that warme that it periſh not, yea he ſo hides it, as that he makes it fructifie.
(4) He hides their joy, their peace of conſcience. Our comforts have need of Chriſts protection, as well as our graces. Should not he be a hiding to our inward peace and joy; the winde of terrour and temptation would ſoone blow them away. In the world ye ſhall have tribulation, but in me ye ſhall have peace, John 16. 33. Our peace is built upon Chriſt, our peace is laid up in Chriſt, our peace is preſerved and defended by Chriſt. The Devil would ſoone quench our joy, if Chriſt were not a hiding place to it. Jeſus Chriſt is in every place, and in every thing a hiding place to his people.
3. Why Chriſt is a hiding place to them. There is a double ground of it. Neceſſity. Convenience
I. It's neceſſary that Chriſt ſhould be their hiding place. This neceſſity is grounded upon a double conſideration.
1. Beleevers want a hiding place. They are expoſed to many enemies, to many dangers. The world, the devil, the fleſh are aſſailing, purſuing, making attempts upon them every day, and that ſeveral wayes. Luther was wont to compare the Church to a poor weak Virgin in a wilde Wilderneſſe, where there is nothing but ravenous creatures that ſeek her life. Our Saviours compariſon is ſomewhat like it, Lak. 10. 3. Behold, I ſend you forth as ſheep among wolves. Joſeph is a fruitful bough. The Archers have ſhot at him, &c. Gen. 49. 23, 24, 25. Beleevers are in this world in a ſtrange land; they are not of the world, and therefore the world hates them. They want a hiding place for their bodies, for their ſoules, for their graces, for their comforts. The chicken doth not want the wing and the neſt, more then they do a hiding place.
2. There is none other beſides Jeſus Chriſt that can be a hiding place for them.
Firſt, they cannot be hiding places to themſelves. They are weak and fooliſh, they expoſe themſelves to danger; they know not well how to hide themſelves in Chriſt, much more unable are they to be protectors to themſelves. Should Chriſt leave the beſt of us to our ſelves, we ſhould be our own Butchers, not Protectours.
Secondly, no other creature can protect and hide them. Kings and Princes, they cannot hide us, Pſalme 146. 3. and if they cannot, inferiour men are much more unable. Horſes and Armies, they cannot be a hiding place to us, Pſalme 33. 16, 17. They are ſoon routed and ſcattered. If they could be hiding places to our bodies, yet ſurely to ou… ſoules they cannot. Gold and Silver cannot be a hiding place to us. Though men ſay to their wedge of Gold, thou art my confidence, Job 31. 24. yet will not mountains of Gold and ſilver be ſafe hiding places in the day of trouble. The Holy Angels cannot be hiding places to us. They are but ſubprotectors; they do but ſpread Chriſts wings over us The truth is, all creatures want hiding places for themſelves. The beſt of creatures are but as the Dyal, they caſt no ſhadow unleſſe the Sunne ſhine upon them. The beſt of creatures is like Jonahs Gourd, the leaſt worm eats them thorough and thorough in a ſhort time.
II. There is Convenience as well as Neceſſity. It's very expedient that Chriſt ſhould be a hiding place to beleevers.
Firſt, he hath all qualifications that may fit him for this work.
1. He hath ſtrength. A hiding place muſt be locus munitiſſimus. Paper houſes will never be good hiding places. Houſes made of reeds or rotten timber will not be fit places for men to hide themſelves in. Jeſus Chriſt is a place of ſtrength. He is the rock of ages. His name is the Mighty God▪ Eſay 9. 6.
2. He hath height. A hiding place muſt be locus excelſiſſimus, Your low houſes are ſoon ſcaled. Jeſus Chriſt is a high place; he is as high as Heaven. He is the Jacobs ladder that reacheth from earth to Heaven, Geneſi… 28. 12. He is too high for men, too high for Devils; no creature can skale theſe high Walls.
3. He hath ſecret places. A hiding place muſt be locus abditiſſimus. The more ſecret, the more ſafe. Now Jeſus Chriſt hath many ſecret chambers that no creatures can ever finde, Ca…icles 2. 14. O my Dove that art in the ſecret places of the ſtaires! As Chriſt hath hidden comforts which no man knows but he that receiveth them; ſo he hath hidden places of ſecrecy, which none can finde out but he that dwells in them. Come my people, enter into thy chambers, and ſhut the doors upon thee, Eſay 26. 20.
4. Chriſt is faithful. He that will hide others, had need be very faithful. A falſe hearted Protector is worſe then an open purſuer; Will the men of Keilah deliver me up, ſaith David? They will deliver thee up, ſaith the Lord; but now Chriſt is faithful, Revelations 3. 14. He is the faithful witneſſe; He cannot be bribed to ſurrender up any creature that comes to hide himſelf with him. Chriſt will die before he will betray his truſt.
5. Chriſt i… diligent. Diligence is as neceſſary in thoſe that will hide others, as faithfulneſſe. A ſleepy Guard may betray a Caſtle or Gariſon, as well as a faithleſſe Guard. But Jeſus Chriſt is very diligent and watchfull, he hath his Intelligencers abroad; yea, his own eyes runne to and fro in the earth, to ſee what contrivances are made, and ſet on foot againſt thoſe who are hid with him, Pſal. 121. 3, 4. He that keepeth Iſrael, neither ſlumbreth nor ſleepeth.
2. Ground.—Chriſt is fit in regard of that propriety he hath in his Saints. All his Relations make him a fit hiding place.
Firſt, He is the Captaine General of the Church. The Church is compared to an Army with Banners; Chriſt is the General of this Army, Joſhuah 5. 13, 14. It was Chriſt the Angell of the Covenant; whom God hath made a Leader and Commander to the people, as the Prophet calls him, Eſay 55. 4. Who ſhould ſecure the Souldiers but the General?
Secondly, He is the Churches King. Pſalme 2. 6. The Kings Court is the Subjects hiding place. Nebuchadnezzars dream, Dan. 4. 12. ſhews that Kings ſhould be ſhelters to their Subjects.
Thirdly, He is the Churches ſhepherd, John 10. 11, 12. Shepherds are to ſecure their flocks. David ſlew the Lion that tore the flock.
Fourthly, He is the Churches Father, Iſaiah 9. 6. The Fathers houſe is the childes Caſtle. The childe when he is purſ…ed makes ſtreight to his Fathers lap, and there he is hid.
Fifthly, He is the Churches Huſband, Epheſ. 5, 25. The houſe of the husband is the wives Gariſon. There ſhe is hid and protected, as well as nouriſhed.