SOUTHWARK:
PRINTED BY R. THOMAS, No. 11, RED LION STREET, BOROUGH.
Sold at the Obelisk Chapel.
A SERMON.
1 Corinthians, Chap. xi, Ver. 23, to the End.
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, &c. &c.
Our most adorable Redeemer is set forth in the sacred Scriptures, as the glorious Mediator of a better Testament. In this character, he sustains the three-fold office in his Church, of Prophet, Priest, and King—from everlasting he was set up to be future man—to ransom the elect, honor the divine Law, and glorify all the sublime Attributes of God. As Man-Mediator he was set up; for as the eternal Jehovah, he could not be higher than he was; God having chosen his elect in him, accepted them in him—he appointed him to be all to them; do all for them; and finally bring them to glory—hence, he says, Thy throne, O God, is for ever & ever. The Lord Jesus having engaged in the eternal Covenant, to be our Surety, Righteousness, Advocate, and Friend, immediately after the breach of the Covenant of Works, he graciously revealed himself in his lovely offices; and, as a Prophet, he foretold his own incarnation, threatened Satan, and pardoned our first Parents. As a Prophet, he preached by the ministry of Noah, to those souls now in the prison of hell—was typified by all the pious prophets that appeared till his coming in the flesh, when he gave ocular demonstration that he was that Prophet that should come into the world—he carries on, and still executes this office in the hearts of his people, by his Word and Spirit—enlightening their minds, and leading them into all truth; removing the veil of ignorance, and delivering his people from all damnable heresies—hence he says, I am the Lord thy God, which teacheth thee to profit, and leadeth thee in the way in which thou shouldest go—this is done by the holy Spirit’s inhabitation. As our Prophet, he is our light, and will be so for ever—for the Lord shall be thy everlasting light, & thy God thy glory—though this office will be carried on in heaven different to what it is on earth. His character, as Mediator, includes his Priestly Office; and this is of vast importance to us—this was shadowed forth under the old Law, by the calling and qualification of the High Priests, particularly Aaron, though Christ was not of the same tribe with him, nor made a Priest after that Law, but of one more ancient, and which continues to this day, and will for ever, after the order of Melchisedec—ever blessing his people, and his blessing on Mount Zion is life for evermore. Yet Aaron was a figure of the High Priest of our Profession, in his separation from his brethren; in the holy unction, when installed into office; in the several vestments with which he was cloathed; his mitre, embroidered coat, ephod, and the girdle of it; with the breast-plate of Judgment—but more so in the sacrifices he offered up; all which held forth the Redeemer, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered up himself to God; being himself the Altar, Priest, and Sacrifice. He is still carrying on this office in the Church, and for his people, by presenting his sacred Person, and meritorious Work, to the Father; making intercession, not as he did on earth, with strong cries and tears to God—not as supplicating an angry Judge; but by shewing himself, as having done, as our Surety, all that Law and Justice could require—he is now our Advocate on high, offering up our prayers and praises, which become acceptable to God, through the sweet incense of his Mediation. Our spiritual holiness is derived from him as our Priest. We are anointed by virtue of union with him—the same divine anointing that was on him, as the Head, runs down, even to the skirts of his cloathing, on the meanest, lowest, and weakest of his saints; and it is the business of our faith to make use of him in every season of guilt and bondage. We feel the liberty of God’s children, as we are led by the Spirit to Jesus, as our atoning and interceding Priest, putting away sin; whilst the Spirit bears testimony to the conscience, that the blood of Christ cleaneth from all sin.
Another office of vast importance to the Church of God, is the Kingly Authority of our Redeemer; this he sustains, and this he exercises—as God he is King by nature, and has a kingdom, common to the three divine Persons—hence he is called Lord of Hosts, or armies; the six armies—two in heaven, elect angels and spirits of just men—two on earth, the Church and the nations of the world—two in hell, fallen angels and reprobate characters; and it is a most awful consideration, that all who despise his Law, Gospel, and Grace, dying in such a state, he will make them feel his kingly power, in breaking them to pieces.—Psalm ii. This office is exercised in the Church of God; the Father himself says, Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion: the learned tell us it reads in the Hebrew, I have anointed my King upon my holy hill of Zion—in allusion to their anointing kings at their inauguration—anointed with the oil of gladness, above their fellows.—In the Old Testament he was prophesied of and typified by pious kings.—The Church of God is Christ’s kingdom, and the members of it his subjects: the exercise of this office is first in the hearts of his saints, in rescuing them from the power of the Devil, by his almighty grace—the King of Glory opens the doors of their hearts; first destroys the Devil’s armour, even the veil of ignorance, (in which he trusts) then turns Satan out for ever. He makes us willing in the day of his power, to come out of the world; to chuse him as our better part; to love him, to serve him all our days, in the newness of the Spirit, and not in the oldness of the Letter—the throne he sits on is our hearts, and this will be for ever—thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever. He displays this office in our defence; for upon all the glory shall be a defence from our enemies; from the dominion and damning power of sin; maintaining our graces, continuing and preserving us in the faith, keeps us from falling, finally, and preserves us to his heavenly kingdom and glory.—This office is executed, externally, by the Word and Ordinances. Christ, as King, is Law-Giver in his own Church; the New Testament is our Rule of Conduct. As Ministers, we are not to send our hearers, nor go ourselves to Moses, for a Rule of Conduct; the preceptive parts of the New Testament are quite sufficient; and where their is faith in the soul, embracing the righteousness of Jesus, and the love of God shed abroad in the heart, such are no Antinomians; for the righteousness of the holy and righteous Law of God, is fulfilled in them who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit—this is the end of the Law, and the glory of the Gospel; and while we serve in the newness of the Spirit, we obey the external Precepts of the Law, as far as they extend to us, as creatures of God’s power. We have no spiritual King but Jesus; he is the Head of the Church, and the Master of his House. His laws are spiritual, as they relate to spiritual Subjects—I will put my laws in their hearts, and in their minds will I write them. These are, first, Faith, which is the Work of the Holy Ghost, and centers in the Person and Work of Jesus. The other is Love—a new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another. This love stands distinguished from that mentioned in the old Covenant; that respects all mankind, as our fellow creatures—this is the law of Love; a new commandment Christ has given to us. As King he has external Laws, which must be obeyed in Faith and Love, called the Obedience of Faith, and serving in the newness of the Spirit; and I am very confident that wherever Christ has displayed his Prophetic office in teaching, and his Priestly office in anointing the soul, that all such characters accept Christ as their King, and say, from the heart, Thine are we, Lord, and on thy side, thou blessed King Zion—O King, live for ever! and take me as I am—to thee I yield till my powers, and consecrate all my days.
I remark, then, that there are certain external Laws, which Jesus has issued out, and ought to be attended to; not one of them is grievous; but this yoke is easy, and this burden is light. His commandments or ordinances are not grievous, but pleasant; and when our Faith is in exercise, our Hope lively, and our Love glowing, we find Wisdom’s ways pleasantness, and all her paths peace. I will mention some, and enlarge only upon one, which is the design of this Discourse.
First—The Ministry of the Word. This is the glorious Magna Charta, exhibiting the loveliness of the Saviour, the wisdom of God, the freeness of grace, the high privileges of all the elect. I mention this because some proud professors have written (and many have imbibed their error) that every Christian is to be a Preacher!—and if so, Where would be the Hearers? These men, to me, resemble the awful characters that conspired against Moses and Aaron, who said, all the Lord’s people are holy; and why should not one be exalted to preach as well as another! But let the above characters read their awful end, as recorded in the 16th Chapter of Numbers. The public Ministry of the Word is an Ordinance of Christ, for public good; this is plain from the Old and New Testament—See, then, that ye refuse not him that speaketh from heaven in Christ’s name; for how can they preach, to any good purpose, except they be sent?
Secondly—Prayer, public and private; and good men ought always to pray—I will that men pray every where—the Jews had their stated times for Prayer; in the evening, in the morning, and at noon-day will I cry unto thee. In public, by Ministers, or private Christians at their Prayer-Meetings, which are praise-worthy, when carried on in a spirit of modesty and humility, with life and fervor—and here I would drop a Word of Exhortation—Let your public Prayers be always short. O that Ministers, Masters, Heads of Families, and those who conduct Prayer-Meetings, would adopt this method. God forbid that I should limit the Holy One of Israel to time, in leading the minds of his people to himself, but we can certainly distinguish between access to God, and a long, dry, formal address to the Deity. How tedious the service when the Minister is nearly half an hour (and I have known it the case forty minutes) in Prayer, and the same old, dry, formal address to God twice, and perhaps three times a day. O that Dissenters, Baptists, and Presbyterians particularly, were convinced how painful they render that service that ought to be perfect freedom, to old and young. The same hint I would drop to those who conduct Prayer-Meetings: Why should one brother be so prolix as to engage a full half hour, and sometimes more, wounding the feelings of others that ought to be engaged, and rendering the whole service tedious. Perhaps this is one reason why our Prayer Meetings are so often neglected—no brother ought to occupy more than one quarter of an hour, including the hymn, so that four might engage in one hour; and if there are not brethren enough to carry it on, then I recommend the Scriptures to be read, and singing of Hymns. Permit me, also to advise the Heads of private families, where there are servants kept, and young people, children, and the various branches of that family, to use brevity in your Prayers; your servants, perhaps, have been hard at work all day—they are tired and heavy: O what a burden they must consider Religion when you keep them on their knees full half an hour; and I have known it too often forty-five minutes! This renders the externals of Religion an unpleasant service to those of your family who know not God. Contrive to make your evening services short; and if circumstances would admit, it would be well if this were performed before supper, before your and their powers are almost lost in sleep, or at least heaviness.—Try to make the very externals of Religion pleasant—Let your Prayers be grave, solid, and important; avoid nonsense, absurdities, loud speaking, or too low to be heard; above all, avoid levelling your speeches in Prayer, at individuals present; why should any one make a throne of grace a bow to discharge arrows at others. I have mentioned those things, as they have long hurt my mind; I hope it will prove a word in season, while none will take offence at my design, as I have no other end in view than the honor of Religion.