The Fountain of Life Opened Up

If your name for his sake be cast out as evil, Christ will deliver it you again in that day, whiter than snow. Number seven. Did Pilate give this title to cast the reproach of his death upon the Jews and clear himself? How natural is it to men to transfer the fault of their own actions from themselves to others. For when he writes, this is the king of the Jews, he wholly charges them with the crime of crucifying their king. And it is as if he had said, Hereafter, let the blame and fault of this action lie wholly upon your heads, who have brought the guilt of his blood upon yourselves and your children. I am clear, you have extorted it from me. O where shall we find the straightforward spirit to take home to itself the shame of its own actions and charge itself freely with its own guilt? It is the character of renewed, gracious hearts to remember, confess, and freely bewail their own evils to the glory of God. Chapter 28, page 335. The Solitariness of Christ's Death. Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts. Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. Besides, the title God here gives him, the man that is my fellow, is too great for any creature in heaven or earth besides Christ. In these words we have, 1. The commission given to the sword by the Lord of hosts. Awake, O sword, and smite, saith the Lord of hosts. The Lord of hosts, at whose command all creatures exist, who with the word of his mouth can command what weapons and instruments of death he pleased, calls here for the sword. Not the rod, gently to chasten, but the sword to destroy. The strokes and thrusts of the sword are mortal, and he bids it to awake and smite. It is as if the Lord had said, Come forth out of thy scarab, O sword of justice. Thou hast been hid there a long time, now awake in glitter. Thou shalt drink royal blood, such as thou never didst shed. 2. The person against whom it is commissioned, my shepherd, and the man that is my fellow. This shepherd can be no other than Christ, who is often in Scripture styled, a shepherd, yea, the chief shepherd, the prince of pastors, who redeems, feeds, guides, and preserves the flock of God's elect. Peter 5.4, John 10.11 This is he whom he also styles, the man his fellow, his other self. You have the sense of it in Philippians 2.6 He was in the form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Against Christ his fellow, the delight of his soul, the sword here receives its commission. 3. You have here the consequence of this deadly stroke upon the shepherd, the scattering of the sheep. By the sheep, understand that little flock, the disciples, which followed this shepherd till he was smitten, that is apprehended by his enemies, and they were scattered, they all forsook him and fled. Thus Christ was left alone amidst his enemies. Not one dare make a stand for him, or own him in that hour of his danger. 4. Here is a gracious mitigation of this sad dispersion. I will turn my hand upon the little ones. By little ones he means the same that before he called sheep, but the expression is designedly varied to show their feebleness and weakness, which appeared in their relapse from Christ. And by turning his hand upon them, understand God's gracious restoration and gathering of them again after their sad dispersion, so that they shall not be lost, though scattered for the present. For after the Lord was risen, he went before them into Galilee, as he promised, and gathered them again by a gracious hand, so that not one of them was lost, but the son of perdition. Hence I observe Christ's dearest friends forsook and left him alone in the time of his greatest distress and danger. 5. And here let us inquire, who were the sheep that were scattered from their shepherd and left him alone? What was their sin in so doing, and what the causes and the issue of it? 6. Who were the sheep thus dispersed and scattered from their shepherd when he was smitten? It is evident they were those precious ones that he had gathered to himself, who had long followed him and dearly loved him, and whom he loved. 7. They were persons that had left all and followed him, until that time faithfully continued with him in his temptations, and were always all so to do, though they should die with him. 8. But did they indeed adhere faithfully to him? No, they all forsook him and fled. These sheep were scattered. This was not indeed a total and final apostasy, yet it was a very sinful and sad relapse. For number one, it was against the very articles of agreement which they had sealed to Christ at their first admission into his service. He had told them in the beginning what they must resolve. If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 9. Accordingly they submitted to these terms, and told him they had left all and followed him. After this engagement made to Christ, they now sin. 10. It was against the very principles of grace implanted by Christ in their hearts. They were sanctified persons in whom dwelt the love and fear of God. By these they were strongly inclined to adhere to Christ in the time of his sufferings, as appears by the honest resolve they had made. Grace strongly inclined them to duty, their corruptions swayed them the contrary way. Grace bade them stand, corruption bade them fly. Grace told them it was their duty to share in the sufferings, as well as the glory of Christ. Corruption represented these sufferings as intolerable, and bade them shift for themselves while they might, so that they sinned against light and the loving constraints thereof. I grant it was sudden, surprising temptation, yet it cannot be imagined that for so long a time they were without any debate or reasoning, respecting their duty. 11. It was much against the honor of their Lord and Master. By their sinful flight they exposed the Lord Jesus to the contempt and scorn of his enemies. This, some conceive, is implied in the question of the high priest. The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples and of his doctrine. He asked him of his disciples, how many he had, and what was become of them now, and what was the reason they forsook their Master, and left him to shift for himself when danger appeared. But to these questions Christ made no reply. He would not accuse them to their enemies, though they had deserted him. But doubtless it did not a little reflect upon Christ that there was not one of all his friends that dared own their relation to him in a time of danger. It was against their own solemn promise made to him before his apprehension to live and die with him. They had given their word that they would not desert him. Peter said to him, Though I should die with thee, yet I will not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples. Here they break their promise to Christ, who never did so with them. He might have told them when he met them afterwards in Galilee, as the Roman soldier told his general, who refused his petition after the war was ended, I did not serve you so at the battle of Actaeon. It was against Christ's heart-melting expostulations with them, which should have abode in their hearts while they lived. For when others that followed him went back and walked no more with him, Jesus said to these very men that now forsook him at last, Will ye also go away? Will you also forsake me? Whatever others do, I expect better things of you. 6. It was against the warning of a late, direful example in the fall of Judas. In him, as in a glass, they might have seen how fearful a thing it is to apostatize from Christ. They had heard Christ's dreadful threats against him. They were present when he called him the son of perdition. They had heard Christ say of him, Good had it been for that man, if he had never been born. An expression that might alarm the deadest heart. They saw he had left Christ the evening before, and that very day in which they fled, he hanged himself, and yet they fly. After all this, they forsake Christ. 7. It was against the law of love, which should have knit them closer to Christ and to one another. If, to avoid the present shock of persecution they had pled, yet surely they should have kept together, praying, watching, encouraging, and strengthening one another. But as they all forsook Christ, so they forsook one another. For it is said they should go, every man to his own, and leave Christ alone. That is, says Beza, every man to his own house and to his own business. 8. Their departure was accompanied with some offense at Christ. For so he tells them, all ye shall be offended because of me this night. The Greek word means, ye shall be scandalized at me, or in me. Sometimes the scandal they took at Christ was this, that when they saw he was fallen into his enemy's hands, and could no longer defend himself, they then began to question whether he were the Christ or no, since he could not defend himself from his enemies. Others more rightly understand it of their shameful flight from Christ, seeing it was not now safe to abide longer with him. As he gave himself up, they thought it advisable to provide as well as they could for themselves, and somewhere or other to take refuge from the present storm which had overtaken him. But what were, Roman numeral 3, the grounds or reasons of their forsaking him? 1. God's suspending aids of his grace. They would not want to do so. They never did so afterwards. They would not have done so now, had there been influences of power, zeal, and love from heaven upon them. But how then should Christ have borne the heat and burden of the day? How should he have trod the winepress alone? How should his sorrows have been extreme, unmixed, unmitigated, if they had adhered faithfully to him? 2. No, no, it must not be. Christ must not have the least relief or comfort from any creature, and therefore that he might be left alone to grapple hand to hand with the wrath of God and of men. The Lord for a time withholds his encouraging, strengthening influences from them. And then, like Samson, when he had lost his locks, they were weak as other men. 3. Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, saith the apostle. Ephesians 6.10 If that be withheld, our resolutions and purposes melt away before temptation, as snow before the sun. 2. The temptation was great. As they were weaker than they were used to be, so the temptation was stronger than any they had met. It is called their hour and the power of darkness. Luke 22.53 A sifting, winnowing hour. Verse 46 Oh, it was a dark and cloudy day. Never had the disciples met such a whirlwind, such a furious storm before. The devil desired but to have the winnowing of them in that day, and so would have sifted and winnowed them, that their faith had utterly failed, had not Christ secured it by his prayer for them. 3. Their remaining corruptions, yet unmortified, concurred. Their knowledge was but little, and their faith feeble. On account of their weakness in grace, they were called little ones in the text. And as their graces were weak, so their corruptions were strong. Their unbelief and carnal fears grew powerfully upon them. 4. Do not censure them, reader, in thy thoughts, nor despise them for this thy weakness. Neither say in thy heart, Had I been there as they were, I would never have done as they did. They thought as little of doing what they did as you or any of the saints do. And as much did their souls detest and abhor it, but here thou mayest see whither a soul that fears God may be carried, if his corruptions be irritated by strong temptations, and God withholds usual influences. 4. Let us view the issue of this sad apostasy, and you shall find it ended better than it began. Though these sheep were scattered for a time, yet the Lord made good His promise in turning His hand upon these little ones to gather them. The morning was overcast, but the evening was clear. Peter repents of his perfidious denial of Christ, and never denies Him more. All the rest likewise return to Christ, and never forsake Him any more. He that was afraid at the voice of a damsel afterwards feared not the frowns of the mighty. And they that durst not own Christ now afterwards confessed Him openly before councils and rulers, and rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for His sake. Acts 5.41 They that were now as timorous as hares, and started at every sound, afterwards became bold as lions, and feared not any danger, but sealed their confession of Christ with their blood. For though at this time they forsook Him, it was by surprisal. Though they forsook Him, they still loved Him. Though they fled from Him, there still remained a gracious principle in them. The root of the matter was still in them, which recovered them again. Though they forsook Christ, yet Christ never forsook them. He loved them still. Go tell the disciples, and tell Peter, that I go before you into Galilee. Mark 16.7 Let them not think that I so remember their unkindness, as to own them no more. No, I love them still. Inference 1 Did the disciples forsake Christ, though they had such strong persuasions and resolutions never to do it? Then we see that self-confidence is a sin, incident to the best of men. They little thought their hearts would have proved so base and deceitful, as they found them when they were tried. Though all men forsake thee, saith Peter, yet will not I. Good man, he resolved honestly, but he knew not what a feather he should be in the wind of temptation, if God once left him to his own fears. Little reason hath the best of saints to depend upon their inherent grace. Let their stock be as large as it may. The angels, left to themselves, quickly left their own habitations. Jude 6 Upon which one well observes, that the best of created perfections are of themselves defective. Every excellency, without the prop of divine preservation, is but a weight which tends to a fall. The angels in their innocency were but frail without God's support. Even grace itself is but a creature, and therefore purely dependent. What be kinds of the streams, if the fountains supply it not? What continuance hath the reflection in the glass, if the man that looks into it turn away his face? The constant supplies of the Spirit of Jesus Christ are the food and fuel of all our graces. The best of men will show themselves but men, if God leave them. He who hath renewed them must also keep them. It is safer to be humble with one talent than proud with ten. Yea, better to be a humble worm than a proud angel. Adam had more advantage to maintain his station than any of us, but though he was created upright and had no inherent corruption to endanger him, he fell. And shall we be self-confident after such instances of human frailty? Alas, Christian, how canst thou contend with principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness? Be not high-minded, but fear. Consider well the instances of Noah, Lot, David, and Hezekiah, who all fell by temptations. Yea, and that when one would think they had never been better provided to resist them. Lot fell after the Lord had thrust him out of Sodom, and his eyes had seen the direful punishment of sin. Hell, as it were, rained upon them out of heaven. Noah in like manner, immediately after God's wonderful and astonishing preservation of him in the ark, when he saw a world of men and women perish in the floods for their sins. David, after the Lord had settled a kingdom on him, which for sin he rent from Saul, and given him rest in his house. Hezekiah was but just up from a great sickness, wherein the Lord wrought a wonderful salvation for him. Did such men, and at such times, when one would think no temptations should have prevailed, fall? Then let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed, lest he fall. Did Christ stand his ground and go through with his suffering work, when all that had followed him forsook him? Then a resolved adherence to God and duty, though left alone, without company or encouragement, is Christlike, and truly excellent. You shall have better company than that which has forsaken you in the way of God. Elijah complains, They have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword. And I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life to take it away. 1 Kings 19.10 But all this did not discourage him in following the Lord, still he was very jealous for the Lord God of hosts. Paul complains, At my first answer no man stood by me, all men forsook me. Nevertheless the Lord stood with me. 2 Timothy 4.16-17 And as the Lord stood by him, so he stood by his God alone, without any aid or support for men. How great a proof of integrity is this! He that professes Christ for company will also leave him for company. But to be faithful to God when forsaken of men, to be a lot in Sodom, a Noah in a corrupted generation, oh how excellent is it! It is sweet to travel over this earth to heaven in the company of the saints that are bound to do with us if we can. But if we can have no company, we must not be discouraged from going on. It is not unlikely that, before you have gone many steps farther, you may have cause to say, Never less alone than when alone. 3 Did the disciples thus forsake Christ, and yet were all recovered at last? Then though believers are not privileged from backsliding, yet by the grace of God they shall be recovered. Though they fall, they shall rise again. Micah 7.8 The highest flood of natural zeal and revolution may ebb and be wholly dried up, but saving grace is a well of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4.14 The purpose of God, the frame and constitution of the new covenant, the meritorious and prevalent intercession of Jesus Christ, gives the believer abundant security. My Father which gave them me, saith Christ, is greater than all, and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. John 10.29 The foundation of God's hand is sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. 2 Timothy 2.19 Every person committed to Christ by the Father shall be brought by him to the Father, and not one wanting. Among the glorious promises this is one, I will not turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. As the fear of God in our hearts pleads in us against sin, so our potent intercessor in heaven pleads for us with the Father. Upon these grounds we may, as the apostles, Romans 8.34-35, triumph in that full security which God hath given us, and say, What shall separate us from the love of God? Understandeth either of God's love to us, as Calvin, Biza, and Martyr do, or of our love to God, as Ambrose and Augustine do. It is true in both senses, and the most comfortable truth. 4. Did the sheep fly when the shepherds were smitten? Did such men and so many forsake Christ in the trial? Then learn how sad a thing it is for the best of men to be left to their own carnal fears in the day of temptation. This was it that made those good men shrink away so shamefully from Christ in that trial. The fear of man bringeth a snare. Proverbs 29.25 O what work will this unruly passion make, if the fear of God do not overrule it? Helvidius Priscus, when, for doing what he thought his duty in the senate, he was threatened by Vespasian that he should die, nobly replied, Did I ever tell you that I was immortal? Do what you will, and I will do what I ought. It is in your power to put me to death unjustly, and in me to die like a Roman. And shall a Christian see his steadfastness outdone by a heathen? O thank what mischief your fears may do yourselves and others. Learn to trust God with your life, liberty, and comfort in the way of your duties, and do not so magnify his erring creatures as to be scared by their threats from your God in your duties. The politic design of Satan herein is to affright you out of your culverts where you are safe into the net. I will enlarge on this no further. I have elsewhere laid down fourteen rules for its cure. That is in his book, called Saint Indeed. 5. Learn hence how much a man may differ from himself according as the Lord is with him or withdrawn from him. Where is he that does not experience this? Sometimes bold and courageous, despising dangers, bearing down all discouragements in the strength of veal and love to God, at another time saint, feeble and discouraged at everything. Whence is this but from the different administrations of the Spirit, who sometimes imparts more and sometimes less of his gracious influence? These very men that fled now, good when the Spirit was more abundantly shed forth upon them, boldly own Christ before the council, and despise all dangers for his sake. We are strong or weak according to the degrees of assisting grace, so that as you cannot take the just measure of a Christian by one act, so neither must they judge of themselves by what they sometimes feel in themselves. But when their spirits are low and their hearts discouraged, they should rather say to their souls, Hope in God, for I shall yet praise him. It is low with me now, but it will be better. 6. Was the sword drawn against the shepherd, and he left alone to receive its soul-piercing strokes? How should all adore both the justice and the mercy of God, so illustriously displayed herein? Here is the triumph of divine justice, and the highest triumph it ever had, to single forth the chief shepherd, the man that is God's fellow, and sheath its sword in his breast for satisfaction. And no less is the mercy and goodness of God signalized in giving the sword a commission against the man his fellow, rather than against us. Why have you not said, Awake, O sword, against the men that are mine enemies! Shed the blood of them that have sinned against me, rather than smite the shepherd, and only scatter the sheep. Blessed be God, that the dreadful sword was not drawn and brandished against our souls, that God did not bathe it in our blood, that his fellow was smitten, that his enemies might be spared. O what manner of love was this! Blessed be God for Jesus Christ, who received the fatal stroke himself, and hath now so sheathed that sword in its scabbard, that it shall never be drawn any more against those that believe in him. Were the sheep scattered when the shepherd was smitten? Learn hence, that the best of men know not their own strength till they come to the trial. Little did these holy men imagine such a cowardly spirit had been in them, till temptation put it to the proof. Let us therefore be a caution forever to the people of God. You resolve never to forsake Christ. You do well. But so did these, and yet they deserted him. You can never know your own strength till temptation has tried it. It is said in Deuteronomy 8 verse 2 that God led the people so many years in the wilderness to prove them and to know them, that is, to make them know what was in their hearts. Little did they think such unbelief, murmurings, discontent, and a spirit bent to backsliding had been in them, until their straits in the wilderness gave them the sad experience. Did the dreadful sword of divine justice smite the shepherd, God's own fellow, and at the time when the flock, from whom all its outward comforts arose, were scattered from him? Then learn that the holiest of men have no reason to repine or despond, though God should at once strip them of all their outward and inward comforts together. God took all comfort from Christ, both outward and inward. And are you greater than he? God sometimes takes outward and leaves inward comfort. Sometimes he takes inward and leaves outward comfort. But the time may come when God may strip you of both. This was the case of Job, a favorite of God, who was blessed with outward and inward comforts. Yet the time came when God stripped him of all and made him poor to a proverb, as to all outward comforts. And the venom of his arrows drank up his spirits. Should the Lord deal best with you, how seasonable and relieving will be the following considerations. Though the Lord deals best with you, yet this is no new thing. He hath so dealt with others, yea, with Jesus Christ himself. If these things were done to him that never deserved it for any sin of his own, how little reason have we to complain. Nay, for this grave reason did this befall Jesus Christ, that similar trials might be sanctified to you. For Jesus Christ passed through such a variety of conditions on purpose that he might take away the curse and leave a blessing against the time that you should come into them. Moreover, though inward comforts and outward comforts were both removed from Christ in one day, yet he wanted not support in the absence of both. How relieving a consideration is this. Behold, saith he, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone. And yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. John 16, 32 Thy God, Christian, can in like manner support thee when all sensible comforts shrink away together from thy soul and body in one day. Number nine It deserves a remark that this forsaken condition of Christ immediately preceded the day of his greatest glory and comfort. The greatest darkness is said to be a little before the dawning of the morning. It was so with Christ, it may be so with thee. It was but a little while and he had better company than that which forsook him. Act therefore your faith upon this, that the most glorious light usually follows the thickest darkness. The louder your groans are now, the louder your triumphs will be hereafter. The horror of your present will but add to the luster of your future state. Chapter 29, page 349 The Patience of Christ's Death He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. Isaiah 53, verse 7 The chapter containing these words treats wholly of the sufferings of Christ. One death tells us of a learned Jew who frankly confessed that this chapter converted him to the Christian faith and such delight he had in it that he read it more than a thousand times. Such is the clearness of this prophecy that he who penned it is deservedly styled the evangelical prophet. From this verse I shall speak of the grievous sufferings of Christ and the glorious ornament he put upon them, even the ornament of a meek and patient spirit. He opened not his mouth, but went as a sheep to be shorn or a lamb to the slaughter. The lamb goes as quiet to the slaughterhouse as to the foals. By this lively and lovely similitude the Patience of Christ is here expressed to us once we learn that Jesus Christ supported the burden of his sufferings with admirable patience and meekness of spirit. Patience never had a more glorious triumph than it had upon the cross. The meekness and patience of Christ's spirit amidst injuries and provocations is excellently set forth in 1 Peter 2 verses 22 and 23. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Who when he was reviled reviled not again. When he suffered he threatened not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. In this point we have the burden of sufferings and provocations with which Jesus Christ was oppressed, his admirable meekness and patience, and the causes and grounds of the perfect patience he exercised. Roman numeral 1 The burden of sufferings and provocations which Christ supported was very great, for on him met all kinds of trouble at once and those in their highest degrees and fullest strength. Trouble in his soul which was the soul of his trouble. He began to be sore amazed and very heavy. Mark 14, 33 The wrath of an infinite God beat him down to the dust. His body was full of pain and exquisite tortures in every part, not a member or sense but was the seat and subject of torment. His name suffered the vilest indignities, blasphemies, and reproaches that the malignity of Satan and wicked men could utter against it. Contempt was poured upon all his offices. Upon his kingly office when they crowned him with thorns, arrayed him with purple, bowed the knee with mockery to him and cried, Hail King of the Jews! His prophetical office when they blinded him and then did him prophecy who smote him. His priestly office when they reviled him on the cross saying, He saved others, himself he cannot save. They scourged him, spit in his face and smote him. All this and much more than this meeting at once upon an innocent and dignified person, one that was greater than all, one that could have crushed all his enemies as a moth. All this born without the least discomposure of spirit is the highest triumph of patience ever exhibited to man. It was one of the greatest wonders of that wonderful day. Roman numeral 2 Consider this almighty patience and unparalleled meekness of Christ supporting such a burden. Christian patience for the grace of patience is an ability to suffer hard in heavy afflictions according to the will of God. It is a glorious power that strengthens the suffering soul to bear. It is our passive fortitude strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patients in long suffering with joyfulness. Colossians 1 verse 11 That he is strengthened with the might or power of God himself. God has several kinds of burdens to impose upon his people. Some heavier, others lighter. Some to be carried but a few hours, others many days, others all our days. Some more spiritual, bearing upon the soul. Some more external, touching the flesh immediately and the spirit by way of sympathy. And sometimes both kinds are laid on together. Though they were at this time His soul full of the bitter sense and apprehension of the wrath of God. His body filled with tortures. In every member and sense grief took up its lodging. Here was the highest exercise of patience. Roman numeral 3 Let us inquire into the grounds and reasons of this perfect patience and you shall find perfect holiness, wisdom, foreknowledge, faith, heavenly mindedness and obedience at the root of it. Number 1 This admirable patience and meekness of Christ was the fruit of His perfect holiness. His nature was free from those corruptions that ours groans and labors under. Take to Miss Moses who excelled all others in His grace. Let him be tried and see how unadvisedly he may speak with his lips. Psalm 106 verse 33 Take a Job whose patience is resounded over all the world. Ye have heard of the patience of Job and let him be tried by outward and inward troubles meeting upon him in one day and even a Job may curse the day wherein he was born. Envy, revenge, discontent, despondence are weeds naturally springing up in the corrupt soil of our sinful natures. I saw a little child grow pale with envy said Augustine. The spirit that dwelleth in us left us to envy. James 4 verse 5 The principle of all these evils being in our nature they will show themselves in time of trial. Our nature is threatful and passionate. But it was otherwise with Christ. The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me. John 14 verse 30 No principle of corruption as an inlet to temptation. Our high priest was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. Hebrews 7 verse 26 No. 2 The meekness and patience of Christ proceeded from the infinite wisdom with which he was filled. The wiser any man is, the more patient he is. Hence meekness the fruit is denominated from patience the root that bears it the meekness of wisdom. James 3 verse 13 And anger is lodged in folly its proper cause. Anger rests in the bosom of fools. Ecclesiastes 7 verse 9 Seneca would allow no place for patience in a wise man's breast. Wise men ponder, consider, and weigh things deliberately before they suffer their affections and passions to be stirred and enraged. Hence come the constancy and serenity of their spirits. A man of understanding is of an excellent or as the Hebrew is a cool spirit. Proverbs 17 verse 27 Wisdom filled the soul of Christ. He is wisdom in the abstract. Proverbs 8 In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom. Colossians 2 verse 3 Hence he was no otherwise moved with the revilings and abuses of his enemies than a wise physician is with the impertinence of his distempered and crazy patient. 3 His patience flowed also from his foreknowledge. He had a perfect prospect from eternity of all which befell him. It came not upon him by surprisal. He wondered not as if some strange thing had happened. He foresaw all these things. And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed. Mark 8 verse 31 Yea he had agreed with his Father to endure all this for our sakes before he assumed our flesh. Hence I gave my head back to the Snipers and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting. Isaiah 50 verse 6 As he guards his disciples against being offended in him, by forewarning them what they must expect, these things I told you that when the time shall come ye may remember that I told you of them. John 15 verse 4 So he, foreknowing what himself must suffer and having agreed so to do, bore those sufferings with singular patience. Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth and said unto them, Whom seek ye? John 18 verse 4 4 His patience sprung from the faith he exercised under all he suffered. His faith looked through all those dark and dismal clouds to the joy set before him. Hebrews 12 verse 2 He knew that though Pilate condemned, God would justify him. Isaiah 50 verses 4 through 8 And he set one over against the other. He balanced the glory into which he was to enter, with the sufferings through which he was to enter it. He exercised faith in God for divine support under sufferings, as well as for glory, the fruit and reward of them. I have set, or, as the apostle varies it, I foresaw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices. Psalm 16 verses 8 through 11 Here is faith exercised by Christ for strength to carry him through. And then it follows, my flesh also shall rest in hope, for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life. In thy presence is fullness of joy. At thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore. Here is his faith acting upon the glory into which he was to enter, after he had suffered these things. This filled him with peace. 5 As his faith, eyeing the glory into which he was passing, made him endure all things, so the heavenliness of his spirit filled him with tranquility and calmness under all abuses and injuries. The more heavenly any man's spirit is, the more sedate, composed, and peaceful. As the higher heavens, saith Seneca, are more ordinate and tranquil, where there are neither clouds nor winds, storms nor tempests, and it is the inferior heavens that lighten and thunder, and the nearer the earth the more tempestuous and unquiet, even so the sublime and holy spirit frequently with heavenly delightful communion with God is not very apt to be embittered with wrath or soured with revenge against men. The peace of God appeases and ends all strife and differences. The heavenly spirit marvelously causes a sedate and quiet breath. Neither was there such a heavenly soul on earth as Christ. He had most sweet and wonderful communion with God. He had meat to eat, which others, yea his most intimate friends, knew not of. The Son of Man was in heaven upon earth, John 3.13, even in respect to the blessed heavenly communion he had with God, as well as in respect to his deities. 6. As his meekness and patience sprung from the heaviness of his spirit, so likewise from his complete and absolute obedience to his Father's will, he could most quietly submit to all the will of God and never regret any part of the work assigned him. This Reformation audio track is a production of Stillwater's Revival Books. SWRB makes thousands of classic Reformation resources available, free and for sale, in audio, video, and printed formats. Our many free resources, as well as our complete mail-order catalog, containing thousands of classic and contemporary Puritan and Reformed books, tapes, and videos at great discounts, is on the Web at www.swrb.com. We can also be reached by e-mail at swrb at swrb.com, by phone at 780-450-3730, by fax at 780-468-1096, or by mail at 4710-37A Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6L 3T5. You may also request a free printed catalog. And remember that John Kelvin, in defending the Reformation's regulative principle of worship, or what is sometimes called the scriptural law of worship, commenting on the words of God, which I commanded them not, neither came into my heart. From his commentary on Jeremiah 7.31 writes, God here cuts off from men every occasion for making evasions, since he condemns by this one phrase, I have not commanded them whatever the Jews devised. There is then no other argument needed to condemn superstitions than that they are not commanded by God. For when men allow themselves to worship God according to their own fancies, and attend not to his commands, they pervert true religion. And if this principle was adopted by the papists, all those fictitious modes of worship, in which they absurdly exercise themselves, would fall to the ground. It is indeed a horrible thing for the papists to seek to discharge their duties towards God by performing their own superstitions. There is an immense number of them, as it is well known, and as it manifestly appears. Were they to admit this principle, that we cannot rightly worship God except by obeying his word, they would be delivered from their deep abyss of air. The prophet's words, then, are very important, when he says that God had commanded no such thing, and that it never came to his mind, as though he had said that men assume too much wisdom when they devise what he never required, nay, what he never knew.