Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

T

that she paid but little or no attention to the account: or probably, her sorrows had so overwhelmed her, that forgetting, the greatness of Jesus's Characters, he concluded that his visit had been postponed too long to afford any relief. Hope deferred (the wise man saith); maketh the heart sick.* And unbelief, will. be for ever suggesting the impossibility in particular cases. Thy daughter is dead trouble. not the Master. § But as soon as her Sister, who had hastened to Jesus, on the first rumour of his arrival, returned with the account in the text, the Master is come, and calleth for thee: this personal enquiry and demand, roused up her attention, and she arose quickly and came to him.

In those features of character, in the instance of this woman, we may I think without violence. to the text, discover strong leading particularities to distinguish special, from the more general calls of the gospel. This is the use which I propose to make, as far as God shall be pleased to enable me, of the words of the text, abstracted from every other part of the history, with which they are connected.

In the prosecution of this subject, I shall in the first place, attempt to explain, what is

meant

[blocks in formation]

meant by the Master's being come, and in what way he may be said to call. Secondly, I shall endeavour to illustrate that doctrine, which is manifested every day in life, that the outward calls of the gospel, unaccompanied with the special, and inward power, always lose their effect: like Mary in the text, until the call is personal, and particular, there is an insensibility, and indifference, to all its demands. Lastly, I shall go on to shew, that when the gospel is preached with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, and is directed to the heart, with his special application, this gives it an efficacy, similar to the case of Mary in the text, and demonstrates, that the Master is not only come, and calleth, but that he calleth personally for thee.

[ocr errors]

Each of those points, will require their separate, and distinct considerations: and it will be a very happy illustration of the subject, if God the Holy Ghost, shall be pleased from a general relation, to make it personal, and particular, in giving some poor unawakened Sinner present, who hath hitherto disregarded all the outward calls of God's word, an inward conviction of his grace; and that precious scripture be fulfilled to his experience, which saith: the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live. †

† John 5. 25.

Our

Our first proposal is to explain, what is meant, by the Master's being come, and in what way he may be said to call.

In answer to this enquiry, I consider myself perfectly authorized, from the analogy of scripture, to interpret the phrase, as a comprehensive expression, to denote, the manifestation of the Son of God in the flesh. That, the Lord Jesus, is the Glorious Person spoken of, under the appellation of Master, is so very obvious, that I conceive, the service would be altogether superfluous in me, to remark. I take for granted no one can require information, that by whatever name the Redeemer is distinguished, in either Testament of Scripture; his Person, and Offices, are too plainly characterized, to occasion any misapprehension in this particular. The phrase itself, of the Master being come is only another method of expression, to say; that He who is the desire of all nations: the Shiloh to whom the gathering of the People should be: the Messenger of the Covenant whom they delight in is how come to his Temple. The day hath at length dawned upon the world, which Abraham saw afar off which many prophets and righteous men desired to see; and to which, all the faithful among the old Testament saints, had been looking forward, from age, to age, with the most anxious expectation; and for the approach of which,

every

every enlightened eye, had so long been directed towards Zion. The Sun of righteousness had now arisen with healing in his wings.

And hence among those who were waiting for this consolation of Israel; what holy joy burst forth from every heart, in the moment of Jesus appearing! Hence good old Simeon, to whom it had been revealed by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, until he had seen the Lord's Christ: no sooner was Jesus brought into the temple, than under the same divine teaching, he took him up in his arms, blessed God, and said; Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. Hence Philip, from the same impressions, on the first view of Christ, communicated the transporting intelligence to Nathaniel, saying, we have found him of whom Moses and the Prophets did write Jesus of Nazareth. And hence the beloved Apostle John, under the same conviction, writes to the Church; we know (says he) that the Son of God is come for he hath given us an understanding to know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ. And in like manner, in every individual instance, where the Spirit of the Lord Jesus hath pointed to the Person of Christ, and revealed him to the heart, as the Holy One of Israel the Saviour: there is, and ever must be, the same blessed assurance. For the Apostle expressly saith, and the heart of every true believer bears a corresponding testimony to the same, that every Spirit H

that

that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.*

And if the Master be come, the purpose of his mission, will be immediately understood, and the manner in which he may be said to call, not very difficult to shew. For in every place, where his Gospel is faithfully preached, as a full, free, and finished salvation; we have as complete and satisfying a testimony, of his being come, as they who saw him in the day of his own personal ministry, and heard the gracious words, which proceeded out of his mouth. Every renewed call of his word; every repeated administration of his ordinances; the many public. means of grace, established in his Church, and handed down in perpetual succession; and the numberless private opportunities, of hearing his voice, in the ministry of his holy scriptures: all these are so many plain, and decided testimonies, that the Master is come, and that the Mighty God even the Lord hath spoken and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. Out of Zion the perfection of beau ty God hath shined.§ Nay, what are all those precious manifestations, in the sacred ordinances of worship, which true believers in Christ, so highly value, and in which at times, they feel so much real joy, and consolation, but evidences of the same great truth.

Speak,

* 1 John 4. 2.

Psalm 50. 1. 2.

« EdellinenJatka »