Divine Drops Distilled from the Fountain of Holy Scripture, Part 19
Expoſitions and Obſervations on HEBREWES 12. 18, 19, 20, &c.
For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackneſs and darkneſs and tempeſt.
And the ſound of a trumpet, and the voyce of words, which voyce they that heard intreated that the word ſhould not be ſpoken to them any more.
(For they could not endure that which was commanded, and if ſo much as a beaſt touch the mountaine, it ſhall be ſtoned, or thruſt through with a dart.
And ſo terrible was the ſight, that Moſes ſaid, I exceedingly fear and quake.)
But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the City of the living God, the heavenly Ieruſalem, and to an innumerable company of Angels.
To the general aſſembly, and Church of the firſt born, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect.
And to Jeſus the Mediator of the new Covenant, and to the blood of ſprinkling that ſpeaketh better things then that of Abel.
See that ye refuſe not him that ſpeaketh; for if they eſcaped not, who refuſed him that ſpake on earth, much more ſhall not we eſcape if we turn away from him that ſpeaketh from heaven.
THe Apoſtle in theſe words doth compare The old and new Teſtament compared.the old Teſtament, the old Covenant with the new: or (if you will) the eſtate of the Saints under the old Covenant of Sinai, with the glorious eſtate of the Saints under the new Covenant. Therefore he tells them, Ye are not come to that mountaine that burned with fire, that mountain that might be touched, you are not ſet under the old Covenant that was terrible, in which there was nothing but that that was terrible, that brought horror upon all that feared God in it: but ye are Come to mount Sion, to the glorious ſtate in the new Teſtament; and there is nothing but what is amiable, and what is beautiful: for that is it that I mean to pitch on: you ſhall obſerve in the deſcription of the Saints in the old Teſtament, under the old Covenant (I mean not the Books of the old Teſtament, I ſuppoſe you know what I mean in that Propoſition) I ſay there was nothing in all Gods adminiſtration with them, but it was full of terror, it was terrible, it begat horror in them; and there is nothing in the ſtate of a Saint that is rightly ſetled in the Goſpel, but what is throughly amiable and beautiful: and therefore you ſhall ſee how the Apoſtle reckons them: Firſt, for the old, he ſaith, they were come but to a Mount that might be touched, that is, an earthly mountain, a mountain or hill, as one of our hills. And that burned with fire, that was terrible. And there was blackneſs and darkneſs, and ſtorm, and tempeſt, covering the heavens and the hill, this was terrible. And there was the ſound of a Trumpet, you know that ſignifies war. And there was a terrible voyce of words alſo, and ſo terrible, that they that heard it, intreated that they might hear it no more. And the Lord was ſo ſtrict, that if but a beaſt touch but the hill that was black and dark, he was to be ſtoned, or thruſt through with a dart, he was to be killed; nay, Moſes himſelf that was to be the Mediator of the people in that Teſtament, he did exceedingly fear and quake. So that there is nothing in that old Covenant of works, that God ſaith, is done away, Heb. 8. there was nothing in the old Teſtament, but what was terrible and full of horror. To come a little more particular; there is nothing in the ſtate of a Profeſſor who is yet on Mount Sinai, as many Profeſſors are who are not yet dead, but alive to the Law: they are not free-men, they are not ſons and daughters, they have not the principles of the Goſpel clearly wrought in them; I ſay thoſe people, take them in the bulk, and frame of their profeſsion, there is nothing in their whole life, in all the courſe of their profeſsion but what is ful of horror, and terror. If they look upon God, they ſee him more or leſs as an angry Iudg, ready to ſtand at the catch to conſume them. If they look on grace in them, that is ſo little, that they continually conclude that they are hypocrites. If they look on ſin, they look every moment when God will be avenged on them becauſe of it. If they look on affliction, they ſay, Now God hath found me out, I knew it would be ſo that the wrath of God would be on me. If they look on Chriſt, ſaith he, He doth not belong to me, and the Promiſes are not mine. A man that is a Profeſſor on Mount Sinai, as far as he walks in the Covenant of works, or as it were by the Covenant of works, ſo far of neceſſity his ſoul within is as Mount Sinai was without, that is, full of blackneſs, and darkneſs, and ſtorms, and tempeſt; inevitably, and unavoidably, it will be ſo.
Therefore clearly, this is the reaſon of all the troubles, and horrors, and terrors, and uncomfortableneſs of your ſpirits, becauſe you have one foot on Mount Sinai, you are not come up to Pauls pitch, I through the Law am dead to the Law; you are not dead to the Law, you are not delivered from it, I mean the Law as it is a Covenant of works, and no otherwiſe, for I know this, no trouble, nothing can befall a Saint that is rightly principled according to the Goſpel, but it is exceeding amiable: If there be ſorrow for ſin, or any thing that you account bitter in it ſelf, if it fall on ſuch a ſoul that is indued with ſuch a principle, that is as ſweet as any thing elſe. I may ſay, (though it be Nonſence to carnal ears) his ſorrow is as ſweet as his joy, his ſorrow for ſin is as ſweet as his joy for mercies, if he be one that is rightly tranſplanted from Mount Sinai to Mount Sion: Therefore ſee how the Apoſtle lays it down, look on it, and you ſhall ſee nothing but what is truly amiable.
But ye are come to Mount Sion.
Now Mount Sion was a beautiful place, ſaith the holy Ghoſt, the beautifulleſt place in all Ieruſalem, where the Kings houſe was; Davids houſe covered with gold; Therefore, beautiful things in Scripture are laid down by the name of Sion; and uſually it is called the Virgin Sion, for fairneſs and beauty. Ye are come to Mount Sion.
And to the City of the living God.
What is that?
The heavenly Ieruſalem.
Not to the old Ieruſalem that was ſubject to be taken, and to be burned, and ſubject to peſtilence, and famine, and ſword, but to the heavenly Ieruſalem, the Ieruſalem that comes down from heaven.
And to an innumerable company of Angels.
You are come now to the place where there are Myriads of Angels. In the ſtate of the Saints in the new Teſtament, there are innumerable companies of Angels that God hath ordered to waite on them, to protect, and preſerve, and to ſave them. In the old Teſtament we read of one Angel here, and another there; one Angel was ſent to Sennacheribs Camp to deſtroy it, but here is an innumerable company of Angels; this is the ſtate of the Church in the new Teſtament.
To the general aſſembly, and Church of the firſt born.
I cannot go over all the particulars, but if you read All things amiable to a man rightly built upon Chriſt.them over, you ſhall ſee that there is no object but what is throughly amiable, and that is the onelyonly thing I would commend to you. Let him be a man that is rightly laid upon Jeſus Chriſt, and hath the right knowledg of him according to the Goſpel, by his holy Spirit: I do not ſay that there is a little, but there is nothing that he can conceive or imagine, but it is ſweet and amiable, and pleaſant to him, as
For inſtance, look which way you will, if he behold God, there he ſeeth infinite ſweetneſs, how he is his Father, reconciled to him, and ful of eternal bowels of affection towards him before the world was, one that loves him infinitely, and takes care of him perpetually. If he look on Jeſus Chriſt, he ſees that he is his husband, he is one with him, as Chriſt is one with the Father. If he look upon the Ordinances, he ſees them as bleſſed pipes, that have many ſweet promiſes to convey more of the love of God, and of his Spirit to his ſoul; If he look upon the creatures, he ſees the glory of God upon them in creating them, and the goodneſs of God in providing them for him, and he taſts the love of God in them. If he look on afflictions, he ſees them as ſweet, wiſe, and ſeaſonable corrections from his heavenly Father to bring him nearer to him. If he look on ſin, as ſin is the tranſgreſsion of the Moral Law, he ſees all forgiven by the righteouſneſs that is in Chriſt, and all nailed to his Croſs, and he knows that ſin in him ſhall work for the beſt, that it may make him prize the grace of God more, and come nearer to God. If he look on perſecution, and the plotting of wicked people againſt the Church; a Saint that is rightly ſet in the new Teſtament, he ſees nothing but what is beautiful, and amiable.
Not but that there are objects that in themſelves are not amiable; as ſin is not amiable in it ſelf properly conſidered, neither is affliction, but he hath ſuch a glaſs, the Lord caſts ſuch a light in him through which he ſees every thing, the light of the Goſpel, through the holy Spirit, that there is nothing but joy and comfort. That is the reaſon that the Apoſtle commands, which is a ſtrange command, Rejoyce, ſaith he, in the midſt of afflictions, rejoyce when ye fall into divers temptations. And rejoyce, and again rejoyce, Phil. 4. And preſently after, Let your patience and moderation be known unto all men. As if he had ſaid, Ye are in great afflictions, yet rejoyce evermore. If theſe Philippians had been as we are, and had had thoſe principles of Mount Sinai in them, they would never have rejoyced in thoſe great afflictions: but having clearly the love of God in them, and juſtification rightly placed on Chriſt, and the principles of the Goſpel rightly planted in them, there was no affliction or temptation whatſoever, but they could rejoyce in it: Rejoyce evermore. I do not know whether you yet fully underſtand it: the Lord teach you, that you may know what is the hope of you calling, what a glorious condition God hath called you to.
I will conclude with three or four words of Exhortation to you from this Leſſon, that every object that a Saint that is in the new Ieruſalem can behold, is altogether amiable. The uſes are here mentioned in the Chapter before.
Then in the firſt place learn not to faint under afflictions: 1. Uſe Not to faint in afflictions.for that is the reaſon the Apoſtle brings this in, do not ſo much ſtrive, or ſtruggle how to get out of afflictions, as to get more Goſpel light to ſee afflictions, for that is all one, nay, better then the other. Therefore if the Lord do but give you a little Eyeſalve, that is, his Spirit to look on them, you ſhall ſee no gall, nor taſte, nor ſee any miſery or evil in them at all. That is the Uſe that is here ſpoken of. Therefore what ever thy afflictions be, labor to underſtand rightly their nature, and thy ſtation in the new Teſtament, and no doubt but thou ſhalt bear them through.
Another Uſe that the Apoſtle teacheth us is this, 2. Not to undervalue the glorious condition of Saintſhip.and me thinks in my apprehenſion it is a very conſiderable word, Beware leaſt there be any fornicator, or prophane perſon among you, as Eſau, that for one morſel of meat ſold his Birthright: for, ſaith he, we are not come to the Mount that might be touched. I apprehend the meaning to be this, that this being ſo, the eſtate of a Saint being ſo glorious, then beware you that are Profeſſors, leaſt any of you be ſo prophane as to ſell your birth-right, that is, all your glorious priviledges, and unconceiveable happineſs in your condition for a meſs of pottage▪ that is, that you do not relinquiſh baſely theſe mercies, to forſake your own mercies, as Ionah ſaith, to imbrace ſome luſt or other, either to imbrace the world, or to fall to wantonneſs, or drunkenneſs, or any thing elſe; and ſo to bargain as Eſau, that ſold all his bleſſed title in the new Teſtament, and in Jeſus Chriſt for a meſs of pottage: Beware of that prophaneneſs, for prophaneneſs is not onelyonly when men commit groſs evils (as we ſay) but this is a prophane man, though he be a Profeſſor, and walk civilly, that (though but in his heart) is willing to exchange the bleſſed eſtate that God hath called him to for the beſt happineſs in the world. There are many prophane, men that are not whoremongers and drunkards, but are ready every day if the devil come to cheapen to give up their birthright for a meſs of pottage. Take heed you ſell it not, if you did underſtand it rightly, you would not ſell it for ten thouſand worlds, that condition and happineſs that God hath called you to. All the things in the world that can be preſented to you, are nothing to the peace of the Kingdom of heaven, be they what they will in themſelves, and yet you han…er after ambition, or luſts, or ſomewhat, and go ſell your birthright for a root of bitterneſs, for a meſs of pottage: for baſe things, I ſay, (and I am ſure there is no Saint here that knows what the happineſs of a Chriſtian in the new Teſtament is, but will ſay ſo) that all the glory, and riches, and happineſs in the world is no more in compariſon of the riches and happineſs of a man eſtated in Chriſt in the new Teſtament, then a meſs of pottage is compared with an inheritance. Therefore beware of it; deſire the Lord to deliver you from a prophane heart.
Thirdly, here is another Uſe that the Apoſtle 3. To encourage weaklings.makes of it, therefore this ſhould encourage poor, weak Profeſſors, that are every day ready to faint, Wherefore (ſaith he) lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees, and make ſtrait ſteps to your pathes, leaſt that which is lame go out of the way. The meaning is poor ſouls that are beaten out (as it were) as a ſhip in the ſea, all the week with temptations, and afflictions, and injuries, and reproaches, and threatnings, and perſecutions, that their hands almoſt fall, that they are ready to ſay as David, I have waſhed my hands in innocencie in vain. This is the way to keep up thy ſpirit: Labor, as Paul prays, Phil. 1. to know the riches of thy calling, to underſtand the glorious condition that God hath called thee to here. I ſpeak not of that in heaven hereafter, but the glorious eſtate here, if thou hadſt eyes to ſee it, and a heart to judg of it, then you would not be ſo tormented all the week long with a few temptations and afflictions, and ſo be ready to give up, as David ſaid, I ſhall one day periſh by the hands of Saul, ſo, I ſhall one of theſe ſhort days prove an hypocrite, a prophane man, I am ſo haunted with temptations, and ſo followed with ſins and luſts. No, beloved, ſtudy that bleſſed eſtate, what Mount Sion, what the heavenly Ieruſalem is, that City of the living God; that God hath called you to, and that will ſupport thee.
Then, that I may conclude, Laſtly, this is the uſe 4. To ſtudy peaceableneſs.the Apoſtle would have us make of it, to follow peace with all men, and holineſs, without which no man ſhall ſee ſee God. That is, if you do underſtand aright your ſpiritual condition, the happineſs of it, which is unſpeakable, then ſurely you will be peaceable people, you will be at peace with all men; for this is a general truth to me, that our frowardneſs doth generally ariſe from ſome diſtemper of our own ſouls within, I mean, when a man ſees that God is angry with him, he is angry with others: that is certain alway, if God look ſtrangely upon him, he will look ſtrangely upon others, if God quarrel with him, he will quarrel with others: but if God ſmile upon the ſoul, and ſhed his love into the heart, and ſet his love upon him, he will not be angry with any that are without (I mean with a carnal anger) that is the reaſon that when a mans ways pleaſe God, the ſtones of the ſtreet ſhall be at peace with him. Did you ever ſee the ſtones of the ſtreet angry with you? but the meaning is, when a mans ways are croſs with God, and he hath a guilty conſcience, a guilty ſoul hath no true peace, he is ready almoſt to fall out with the ſtones in the ſtreet, he quarrels with his ſervant, with his horſe, with every thing, becauſe he hath an unquiet ſpirit within, when a man pleaſeth God, the ſtones ſhall be at peace with him, that is, he ſhall be at peace with every thing. Why ſo? becauſe there is an infinite, unſpeakable quiet in his own ſoul.
That is the reaſon we have ſo many Profeſſors among us that are ſo bitter and cruel, to others, ſome they call Presbyters, and ſome Independents, and divers other Profeſſors, you may pick them out in every Congregation that are ſo ſharp and terrible to others, if they croſs them, or diſſent from them never ſo little What is the reaſon? becauſe there are abundance of Profeſſors that have one foot on Mount Sinai, they walk by the Covenant of Works, they have patched a feined rotten peace in them with God in Chriſt, and ſo many times there is blackneſs and darkneſs within, therefore they are ready to wrangle and quarrel with others without.
But God hath called us to Mount Sion, where is that? where the ſwords are turned into Pruning hooks, and the ſpeares into Ploughſhares, ſighing and ſorrow is gone away, and there is no ravenous beaſt there, meaning the glorious eſtate of the Saints in the purity of the light of the Goſpel; all our ravenous ſpirits ſhall be taken away, for it is impoſſible, that ſoul that hath the love of God ſhed into it, and the peace of God rightly planted in it, it is impoſſible but that ſoul ſhould be milde, and calm, and meek, and merciful, and loving, and courteous to all, and be at peace with all, and peaceable to all.
And for holineſs, Follow holineſs, ſaith the Apoſtle, this would make you holy, if you did underſtand your condition rightly: O, if you were perſwaded that God did love you from eteruity, and that his Son did die for you, and that you and he are as really one as he is one with his Father, and that all the treaſures that are in Chriſt are yours, &c. this would inevitably work in us a holy frame of heart, and diſpoſition. Therefore the Apoſtle uſually calls on us to be holy from ſuch motives, I beſeech you by the mercies of God, and by the conſolations of the Spirit do this and that, and leave that and the other evil. That is the reaſon we are lame in holineſs, becauſe our principles are ſo confounded, and the Goſpel of Chriſt is not ſpiritually, and rightly, and orderly, and diſtinctly planted in us, or elſe we would be more holy, and look on ſin in another manner then ever, and hate the appearance of it, and cleave to that which is good.
Theſe were the Leſſons that I thought of from this Scripture. Deſire God to inlarge them when you come home, for Truths uſe to breed in the ſoul. Therefore the Spirit of God is compared to a Bird, the Spirit ſate on the waters, as the Bird doth on the neſt to hatch her yong. The Spirit of God (with reverence) will hatch ſuch truths as this in the hearts of his children, that though it be confuſed, and rude in the beginning, yet the Lord by his holy Spirit may break it out to a glorious, and powerful light to our ſouls.