The Fountain of Life Opened Up

Free men, when they committed capital crimes, were not condemned to the cross. No, that was the death appointed for slaves. Placitus calls it the punishment of a slave, and Juvenal says, put the cross upon the back of a slave. And yet it is said of our Lord Jesus, that He not only endured the cross, but despised the shame. Hebrews 12, 2. Obedience to His Father's will and zeal for our salvation made Him disregard its reproach. Number 4. The death of the cross was a cursed death. Upon that account He is said to be made a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. Galatians 3.13 However, as the learned Junius has well observed, this curse is only a ceremonial curse, for otherwise it is neither in itself, nor by the law of nature, or by the civil law, more excrucible than any other death. And the main reason why the ceremonial law affixed the curse to this, rather than to any other death, was with respect to the death Christ was to die. And therefore, reader, see and admire the providence of God, that Christ should die by a Roman, and not a Jewish law. For crucifying, or hanging on a tree, was a Roman punishment, and not in use among the Jews. But the scriptures cannot be broken. Number 5. The death of the cross was a very slow and lingering death. They died leisurely, which still increases and aggravates the misery of it. If a man must die a violent death, it is a favor to be dispatched, as they that are pressed to death beg for more weight. On the contrary, to hang long in the midst of tortures, to have death coming upon us with a slow pace, that we may feel every tread of it as it approaches, is a misery. And surely in this respect it was worse for Christ than for any other that was ever nailed to the tree. For all the while he hung there, he remained full of life and acute sense. His life departed not gradually, but was whole in him to the last. Other men die gradually, and towards their end, their sense of pain is much blunted. They falter and expire by degrees. But Christ stood under the pains of death in his full strength. His life was whole in him. This was evident by the mighty outcry he made when he gave up the ghost, which showed him to be full of strength, contrary to the experience of man, and made the centurion when he heard it conclude, surely this was the Son of God. Mark 15 verses 37 and 39. Number 6. It was an unalleviated death. Sometimes they gave to malefactors amidst their torments vinegar and myrrh to blunt, dull, and stupefy their senses. And if they hung long, would break their bones to dispatch them out of their pains. Christ had none of this favor. Instead of vinegar and myrrh, they gave him vinegar and gall to drink to aggravate his torments. And he died before they seemed to break his legs. For the scriptures must be fulfilled, not a bone of him shall be broken. This was the kind of death he died, even the violent, painful, shameful death of the cross, an ancient punishment both among the Romans and Carthaginians. But in honor of Christ, who died this death, Constantine the Great abrogated it by law, ordaining that none should ever be crucified anymore, because Christ died that death. Roman numeral 2. As to the manner of the execution, they that were condemned to the death of the cross bore their cross upon their own shoulders to the place of execution. They were stripped of all their clothes, and then were fastened to the cross with nails. And that the equity of the proceedings might the better appear to the people, the cause of the punishment was written in capital letters and fixed to the tree over the head of the malefactor. Of this I shall speak distinctly in the next discourse, there being so much of providence in this circumstance as invites us to spend more than a few transient thoughts upon it. Number 3. Among the reasons why Christ died thus, rather than any other kind of death, three are obvious. Number 1. Because Christ must bear the curse in his death, and the curse was by law affixed to no other kind of death as it was to this. Christ came to take away the curse from us by his death, and so must be made a curse. On him must lie all the curses of the moral law which were due to us, and that nothing might be wanting to make it a full curse, the very death he died must also have a ceremonial curse upon it. Number 2. Christ died this death to fulfill the types and prefigurations that of old were made with respect to it. All the sacrifices were lifted up from the earth upon the altar, but especially the brazen serpent prefigured this death. Moses made a serpent of brass and put it upon a pole. Numbers 21 verse 9. And, saith Christ, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up. John 3.14. That so he might correspond with that type of him in the wilderness. Number 3. He died this death because it was predicted of him, and in him must all the predictions as well as types be fully accomplished. The psalmist spoke in the person of Christ of this death plainly, as if he had been writing the history rather than a prophecy of what was done. For dogs have compassed me, the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me, they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones, they look and stare upon me. Psalm 22 verses 16 and 17. Which has a manifest reference to the distinction of all his members upon the tree, as on a rack. So, they look upon me, whom they have pierced. Zechariah 12 verse 10. Yea, our Lord himself foretold the death he should die. John 3.14. Saying, he must be lifted up, that is hanged between heaven and earth, and the scriptures must be fulfilled. Inference number one. Is Christ dead, and did he die the violent, painful, shameful, cursed death of the cross? Then surely there is forgiveness with God, and plenteous redemption for the greatest of sinners, that by faith apply the blood of the cross to their poor guilty souls. So speaks the apostle, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1.14. The blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1.7. Two things will make this demonstrable. That there is a sufficient efficacy in the blood of the cross to expiate and wash away the greatest sins, is manifest, for it is precious blood. You were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of the Son of God. 1 Peter 1.18. This preciousness of the blood of Christ rises from the union it hath with that person who is overall God-blessed forever, and on that account it is styled the blood of God. Acts 20.28. On account of its invaluable preciousness, it becomes satisfying and reconciling blood to God. So the apostle speaks. And having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven. Colossians 1.20. The same blood which is redemption to them that dwell on earth is confirmation to them that dwell in heaven. Before the efficacy of this blood, guilt vanishes and shrinks away as the shadow before the glorious sun. Every drop of it hath a voice and speaks to the soul trembling under its guilt better things than the blood of Abel. Hebrews 10.24. It sprinkles us from all evil, that is, from an unquiet and accusing conscience. Hebrews 10.22. For having enough in it to satisfy God, it must have enough in it to satisfy conscience. And as there is sufficient efficacy in this blood to expiate the greatest guilt, so it is manifest that the virtue and efficacy of it is intended and designed by God for the use of believing sinners. Such blood as this was shed, without doubt, for some weighty end, and who they are for whom it is intended, is plain enough, from Acts 13.39. And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses. That the remission of the sins of believers was the great thing designed in the pouring out of this precious blood of Christ appears from all the sacrifices that prefigured it to the ancient church. The shedding of that typical blood spoke a design of pardon, and the putting of their hands upon the head of the sacrifice spoke the way and method of believing by which that blood was then applied to them and is still applied to us in a more excellent way. Had no pardon been intended, no sacrifices had been appointed. Moreover, let it be considered, this blood of the cross is the blood of a surety that came under the same obligations with us and in our name, or said, shed it. And so, of course, frees and discharges the principal offender or debtor. Hebrews 7.22 Can God exact satisfaction from the blood and death of his own Son, the surety of believers, and yet still demand it from believers? It cannot be. Who, saith the apostle, shall lay anything to the charge of God select? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died. Romans 8.34-33 And why are faith and repentance prescribed as the means of pardon? Why does God everywhere in his word call upon sinners to repent and believe in this blood, encouraging them so to do by so many precious promises of remission, and declaring the inevitable and eternal ruin of all impenitent and unbelieving ones who despise and reject this blood? What, I say, doth all this speak but the possibility of a pardon for the greatest of sinners and the certainty of a free, full, and final pardon for all believers? O what a joyful sound is this! What transporting words of peace, pardon, grace, and acceptance come to our ears from the blood of the cross! The greatest guilt ever contracted upon a trembling conscience can no more stand before the efficacy of the blood of Christ than the sinner himself can stand before the justice of the Lord with all that guilt upon him. Reader, the word assures thee, whatever thou hast been or art, that sins of as deep a dye as thine have been washed away in this blood. I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, injurious, but I obtained mercy, saith Paul. But it may be thou wilt object, this was a rare and singular instance, and it is a great question whether any other sinner shall find such grace as he did. No question of it at all, if you believe in Christ as he did, for he tells us, verse 16, For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. So that upon the same grounds on which he obtained mercy, you may obtain it also. Nothing but unbelief and impenitency of heart can bar thy soul from the blessings of this blood. 2. Did Christ die the cursed death of the cross for believers? Then though there be much of pain, there is nothing of curse in the death of the saints. It still wears its dart, by which it strikes, but hath lost its sting, by which it hurts and destroys. Death poured out all its poison, and lost its sting in Christ, when he became a curse for us. But what speak I of the harmlessness of death to believers? It is their friend and benefactor. As there is no curse, so there are many blessings in it. Death is yours, 1 Corinthians 3.22, yours as a special privilege and favor. Christ hath not only conquered it, but is more than a conqueror, for he hath made it beneficial and very serviceable to the saints. When Christ was nailed to the tree, then he said as it were to death, which came to grapple with him there, O death, I will be thy plague, O grave, I will be thy destruction. And so he was, for he swallowed up death in victory, spoiled it of its power. So that though it may now affright some weak believers, yet it cannot hurt them at all. 3. If Christ died the cursed death of the cross for us, how cheerfully should we submit to and bear any cross for Jesus Christ? He had his cross and we have ours, but what are ours compared with his? His cross was a heavy cross indeed, yet how patiently and meekly did he support it? He endured his cross. We cannot endure or bear ours, though they be not to be named with his. Three things should marvelously strengthen us to bear the cross of Christ. We shall bear it, but a little way. It should be enough to me, says one, that Christ will have joy and sorrow sharers in the life of the saints, and that each of them should have a share of our days, as the night and day are kindly partners of time, and take it up between them. But if sorrow be the largest sharer of our days here, I know joy's day shall dawn, and will more than recompense all our sad hours. Let my Lord Jesus, since he will do so, weave my bit and span lengths of time with white and black, wheel and woe. Let the rose be neighbor with the thorn. Sorrow and the saints are not married together, or suppose it were so, heaven shall make a divorce. Life is but short, and therefore crosses cannot be long. Our sufferings are but for a while, 1 Peter 5.10. They are but the sufferings of the present time, Romans 8.18. As we shall carry the cross of Christ but a little way, so also Christ himself bears the most of it. He takes the largest share himself. The reproaches of them that reproach thee are fallen upon me. Psalm 69 verse 9. Nay, to speak as the thing is, Christ doth not only bear half, or the greater part, but the whole of our cross and burden. Yea, he bears all, and more than all, for he bears us, and our burden too, or else we should quickly sink and faint unto it. It is reviving to think what an innumerable multitude of blessings and mercies are the fruit and offspring of a sanctified cross. Since that tree was so richly watered with the blood of Christ, what store of choice and rich fruits doth it bear to the believers? I know, says one, no man hath a velvet cross, but the cross is made of what God will have it. Yet I dare not say, O that I had liberty to sell Christ's cross, lest therewith also I should sell joy, comfort, sense of love, patience, and the kind visits of a bridegroom. I have but small experience of sufferings for Christ, but I find a young haven and a little paradise of glorious comfort and soul-delighting visits of Christ in suffering for him and his truth. My prison is my palace, my sorrow is full of joy, my losses are rich losses, my pain easy pain, my heavy days are holy days and happy days. I may tell a new tale of Christ to my friends. O what owe I to the file and to the hammer and to the furnace of my Lord Jesus, who hath now let me see how good the wheat of Christ is, that goes through his mill and his oven to be made bread for his own table. Grace tried is better than grace and more than grace. It is glory in its infancy. Who knows the truth of grace without a trial? And how soon would faith freeze without a cross? Bear your cross, therefore, with joy. 4. Did Christ die the death, yea, the worst of death for us? Then it follows that our mercies are procured with great difficulty, and that which is sweet to us in the fruition was costly and hard to Christ in the acquisition, in whom we have redemption through his blood, Colossians 1.14, upon which a late writer says, The way of grace is here to be considered. Life comes through death, God comes in Christ, and Christ comes in blood. The choice of mercies comes through the greatest miseries. Oh, how should this raise the value of our mercies? What the price of blood, the price of precious blood, the blood of the cross! Oh, what an esteem should this raise! Things, as the same ingenious author adds, are prized rather as they come than as they are. Far-fetched and dear-bought make the price and give the worth with us, weak creatures. Upon this ground the Scripture, when it speaks of our spiritual riches, tell us the great price it cost, as knowing if anything will take with us this will, to him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Revelation 1.5. Beware, then, that you abuse not any of the mercies that Christ procured with so many bitter pangs and throes, and let all this endear him more than ever to you, and make you say in a deep sense of his grace and love, Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ. Chapter 27, page 324. The title affixed to the cross of Christ. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew. This is the King of the Jews. Luke 23, 38. Before I pass on to the manner of Christ's death, I shall consider the title affixed to the cross, in which the wisdom of providence was strikingly displayed. It was the manner of the Romans that the equity of their proceedings might the more clearly appear to the people, when they crucified any man, to publish the cause of his death on a tablet written in capital letters and placed over the head of the victim, and that there might be at least a show of justice in Christ's death, he also has his title or superscription. This writing one evangelist calls the accusation. Matthew 27, 37. Another calls it the title, John 19, 19. Another the inscription or superscription, so the text. And another the superscription of his accusation. Mark 15, 26. In short, it was a fair, legible writing, intended to express the fact or crime for which the person died. This was their usual manner, though sometimes we find it was published by the voice of a common crier, as in the case of Attalus the martyr, who was led about the amphitheater, one proclaiming before him, this is Attalus the Christian. But it was customary to express the crime on a written tablet as the text expresses it. Wherein consider, number one, the character or description of Christ contained in the writing. He is described by his kingly dignity. This is the King of the Jews. The very office which but a little before they had reproached and derided, bowing the knee to him in mockery, saying, Hail, King of the Jews. The providence of God so orders it, that by the same he shall on the cross be vindicated and honored. This is the King of the Jews. Or as the other evangelists give it more fully, this is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. Number two. The person that drew his character or title was Pilate. He that but now condemned him, becomes his herald, to proclaim his glory. For the title is honorable. Surely this was not from himself, for he was Christ's enemy. But rather than Christ should want a tongue to clear him, divine providence employs an enemy to do it. Number three. The time when this honor was done him, was when he was at the lowest ebb of his glory, when shame and reproach were heaped upon him, when all the disciples had forsaken him and fled. Not one left to proclaim his innocency or speak a word in his vindication. Then doth the providence of God, as strangely, as powerfully, overrule the heart and pen of Pilate to draw this title and affix it to his cross. Surely we must look higher than Pilate in this thing and see how providence serves itself by the hands of Christ's adversaries. Hence, the dignity of Christ was openly proclaimed and defended by an enemy, and that in the time of his greatest reproaches and sufferings. To unfold this mystery of providence, that you may not stand idly gazing upon Christ's title, as many then did, we will consider the nature of this title and how the providence of God was displayed in it. Roman numeral one. The nature of Christ's title or inscription. Number one. It was an extraordinary title, varying from all examples of that kind and directly crossing the main design and end of their own custom. For as I hinted before, the end of it was to clear the equity of their proceedings and show the people how justly they suffered the punishments inflicted on them for such crimes. But lo, here is a title expressing no crime at all and so vindicating Christ's innocency. This some of them perceived and desired Pilate to change it. Right not, this is, but this is he that said, I am king of the Jews. In that as they conceived lay his crime. O how strange and wonderful was this! But what shall we say? It was a day of wonders and extraordinary things. As there was never such a person crucified before, so there was never before such a title affixed to a cross. Number two. It was a public title, both written and published with the greatest advantage of being known far and near among all people. For it was written in three languages and those most known in the world at that time. The Greek tongue was then known in most parts of the world. The Hebrew was the Jews' native language and the Latin the language of the Romans. So that it being written in Hebrew, Greek and Latin, it was easy to be understood both by Jews and Gentiles. Thus the providence of God designed to make it notorious and evident to all the world. For so all things intended for public view and knowledge were written. Josephus tells us of certain pillars on which was engraven in letters of Greek and Latin, it is a wickedness for strangers to enter into the holy place. So the soldiers of Gordian, the third emperor, when he was slain upon the borders of Persia, raised a monument for him and engraved his memorial upon it in Greek, Latin, Persian, Judaic and Egyptian letters that all people might read the same. And as it was written in three learned languages, so it was exposed to view in a public place and at a time when multitudes of strangers as well as Jews were at Jerusalem, the time of the Passover. So that all things concurred to spread and divulged the innocency of Christ vindicated in this title. Number three. It was an honorable title. Such was the nature of it, says Bucher, that in the midst of death Christ began to triumph by it. Number four. It was a vindicating title. It cleared up the honor, dignity and innocency of Christ against all the false imputations, calumnies and blasphemies which were cast upon him by the wicked tongues both of Jews and Gentiles. They had called him a deceiver, a blasphemer, because he had made himself the Son of God. But now in this they acknowledge him to be the King of Israel. Number five. Moreover it was a predicting and presaging title, evidently foreshowing the propagation of Christ's kingdom and the spread of his name and glory among all kindreds, nations, tongues and languages. As Christ hath right to enter into all the kingdoms of the earth by his gospel and set up his throne in every nation, so it was presaged by this title that he should so do, and that Hebrews, Greeks and Latins should be called to the knowledge of him. Nor is it a wonder that this should be predicted by wicked Pilate when Caiaphas himself, a man every way as wicked as he, had prophesied to the same purpose, for being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation, and not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Yea, many have prophesied in Christ's name, who for all that shall never be owned by him. Matthew 7.22 Number six. And lastly, it was an immutable title. The Jews endeavored, but could not persuade Pilate to alter it. To all their importunities he returns this resolute answer, What I have written, I have written. I cannot, I will not alter a letter of it. Surely the constancy of Pilate at this time can be attributed to nothing but special divine providence. Most wonderful, that he who before was inconstant as a reed shaken by the wind, should now be fixed as a pillar of brass. And yet more wonderful, that he should write that very particular in the title of Christ, This is the King of the Jews, which so alarmed him but a little before, and was the consideration that moved him to give sentence. What was now become of the fear of Caesar, that Pilate dares to be Christ's herald, and publicly to proclaim him the King of the Jews. Roman numeral 2 In all this, divine providence acted gloriously and wonderfully. Number 1 In overruling the heart and hand of Pilate, contrary to his own inclination. I doubt not that Pilate himself was far enough from intending what the wisdom of providence designed in this matter. He was a wicked man, and had no love to Christ. He had given sentence of death against him. Yet this is he that proclaimed him to be Jesus, King of the Jews. His pen was so overruled, that he did not write what was in his own heart, but quite the contrary. Even a fair and public testimony to the kingly office of the Son of God, this is the King of the Jews. Number 2 In applying a present, proper, public remedy to the reproaches and blasphemies, Christ then received. Number 3 In keeping so timorous a person, a man of so base a spirit, that would do anything to please the people, from receiving or giving ground in the least to their importunities. Number 4 In casting the ignominy of the death of Christ upon those very men who ought to bear it. For it is as if Pilate had said, You have moved me to crucify your king. I have crucified him, and now let the ignominy of his death rest upon your heads, who have extorted this from me. He is righteous. The crime is not his, but yours. Number 5 In fixing this title to the cross of Christ amid such a confluence of people, so that it could never have been more advantageously published. How wonderful are the works of God! His ways are in the sea, His paths in the great deep. His footsteps are not known. His providence hath a prospect beyond the understanding of all creatures. Inference number 1 The providence of our God can, and often does, overrule the counsels and actions of the worst of men for his own glory. It can serve itself by them that oppose it, and bring about the glory and honor of Christ by those very men and means which are designed to lay it in the dust. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee. Psalm 76 verse 10 The Jews thought when they crowned Christ with thorns, bowed the knee, and mocked him, led him to Golgotha, and crucified him, that now they had utterly despoiled him of all his kingly dignities. And yet even there he is proclaimed a king. Thus the dispersion of the Jews upon the death of Stephen spread the gospel far and near, for they went everywhere preaching the word. Acts 8 verse 4 Thus Paul's bond for the gospel fell out to the furtherance of the gospel. Philippians 1 verse 12 O the depth of divine wisdom to propagate and establish the interest of Jesus Christ by those very means that seem to import its destruction. How great a support should this be to the faith of God's people when all things seem to oppose their hopes and happiness. Let Israel therefore hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. Psalm 130 verse 7 He is never at a loss for means to promote his own ends. Number 2 The greatest services performed for Christ undesignedly shall never be accepted nor rewarded of God. Pilate did that for Christ that not one of his own disciples at that time dared do. And yet this service was not accepted of God because he did it not designedly for his glory, but from the mere overruling of providence. If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, saith the apostle. 2 Corinthians 8 verse 12 The eye of God is first and mainly upon the will. If that be sincere and right for God, small things will be accepted, and if not, the greatest shall be abhorred. So 1 Corinthians 9 verse 17 If I do this thing, that is, preach the gospel, willingly, I have a reward. But if against my will a dispensation is committed to me, that is, if I upon pure principles of faith and love from my heart, designing the glory of God, and delighting to promote it by my ministry, cheerfully and willingly apply myself to the preaching of the gospel, I shall have acceptance and reward with God. But if my work be a burden to me, and the service of God is deemed as a bondage, providence may use me for the dispensing of the gospel to others, but I myself shall lose both reward and comfort. As it does not excuse sin, that God can bring glory to himself out of it, so neither does it justify an action that God overrules it to his praise. Paul knew that even the strife and envy in which some preached Christ should turn to his salvation. Philippians 1.19 And yet he was not at all beholden to them for promoting his salvation that way. So Pilate here promotes the honor of Jesus Christ, to whom he had no love, and whose glory he did not at all design, and therefore hath neither acceptance nor reward with God. O then, whatever you do for Christ, do it heartily, designedly, for his glory, and of a ready and willing mind, with pure and sincere aims, for this is acceptable with him. Number 3 Would not Pilate recede from what he had written on Christ's behalf? How shameful is it for Christians to retract what they have said or done for Christ? Did Pilate say, What I have written I have written, and shall not we say, What we have believed we have believed, and what we have professed we have professed? What we have engaged to Christ we have engaged. As God's election, so your profession must be irrevocable. O let him that is holy be holy still. The counsel given by a reverend divine in this case is both safe and good. Be sure you stand on good ground, and then resolve to stand your ground against all the world. Follow God, and fear not men. Art thou godly? Repent not. Whatsoever thy religion cost thee, let sinners repent, and let saints repent of their faults, but not of their faiths, of their iniquities, but not of their righteousness. Repent not of your righteousness, lest you afterward repent of your repentance. Repent not of your zeal, or your forwardness, or activity in the holy ways of the Lord. Wish not yourselves a step further back, or a cubit lower in your stature in the grace of God. Wish not anything undone concerning which God will say, Well done. In Galen's time it was a proverbial expression when anyone would show the impossibility of a thing. You may as soon turn a Christian from Christ, as do it. A true heart choice of Christ is without reserves, and what is without reserves will be without repentance. There is an obstinacy of spirit which is our sin, but this is our glory. In the matters of God, saith Luther, I assume this title, I yield to none. Remember when your hearts begin to startle at the sufferings and reproaches of Christ, there is an honorable title affixed to his cross, and as it was upon his, so it will be upon your cross also, if ye suffer for Christ. Moses saw it, which made him esteem the very reproaches of Christ above all the treasures of Egypt. Hebrews 11.26 How did the martyrs glory in their sufferings for Christ, calling their chains of iron, chains of gold, and their manacles bracelets? It is related of Loviticus Marthicus, a knight of France, that when he with other Christians of an inferior rank were condemned to die for religion, and the jailer had bound them with chains, but did not bind him, being a more honorable person than the rest, he was displeased with the omission, and said, Why do you not honor me also with a chain for Christ, and create me a knight of this illustrious order? To you, saith the apostle, it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. Philippians 1.29 There is a twofold honor attending the cross of Christ, one in the very sufferings themselves, another as the reward and fruit of them. To suffer for Christ is a great honor, yea, an honor peculiar to the saints. The angels glorify Christ by their actives, but not by their passive obedience. This is reserved as a special honor for saints. And as there is honor in being called to suffer on Christ's account, so Christ will confer special honor upon his suffering saints in the day of their reward. He that confesses me before man, him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 10.32 O sirs, one of these days the Lord will come in the clouds of heaven with a shout, accompanied with myriads of angels and ten thousands of his saints, those glittering critters of heaven. The heavens and earth shall flame and melt before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. The graves shall open, the sea and earth shall yield up their dead. You will see him ascending the awful throne of judgment, and all flesh gathered before his face, even multitudes, multitudes that no man can number. And then to be brought forth by Christ before that great assembly, and there to have an honorable mention and remembrance made of your labors and sufferings, your pains, patience and self-denial, of all your sufferings and losses for Christ, and to hear from his mouth, Well done, good and faithful servant! O, what honor is this! Yet this shall be done to the man that now chooses sufferings for Christ rather than sin, that esteems his reproach greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. It is an honor that angels have not. I make no doubt that they would be glad, had they bodies of flesh as we have, to lay their necks on the block for Christ. But this is the saints' peculiar privilege. The apostles went away from the council rejoicing that they were honored to be dishonored for Christ, or as we translate it, counted worthy to suffer shame for him. Acts 5 41 Surely if there be any marks of honor they are such as we receive for Christ's sake. If there be any shame that have glory in it, it is the reproach of Christ and the shame you suffer for his name. Number 5 Did Pilate so assert and defend the honor of Christ? What doubt can there be of the success of Christ's interest and the prosperity of his cause, when the very enemies thereof are made to serve it? Those people can never be ruined who thrive by their losses, conquer by being conquered, multiply by being diminished, whose worst enemies are made to do that for them which friends cannot or dare not do. See you a heathen Pilate proclaiming the honor and innocency of Christ. God will not want instruments by whom to honor Christ. If others cannot, his very enemies shall. Number 6 Did Pilate vindicate Christ in drawing up such a title to be affixed to his cross? Then God will sooner or later vindicate the innocency and integrity of his people who commit their cause to him. Christ's name was clouded with many reproaches, wounded by the blasphemous tongues of his malicious enemies. He committed himself to him that judges righteously, 1 Peter 2.23, and see how soon God vindicates him. This is sweet and seasonable counsel for us, when our names are clouded with unjust censures. Commit thy way unto the Lord. Trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Psalm 37, verses 5 and 6 Joseph was accused of incontinency, David of treason, Daniel of disobedience, Elijah of troubling Israel, Jeremiah of revolting, Amos of preaching against the king, the apostles of sedition and rebellion. But how did all these honorable names emerge from their reproaches as the sun from a cloud? God vindicated their honor even in this world. Slanderers, saith one, are but as soap, which though it soils for the present, makes the garment more clean and shining. Scorn and reproach is but a little cloud that is soon blown over. But suppose ye are not vindicated in this world, but die with a cloud upon your names. Be sure God will clear it up, and that to purpose in the great day. Then shall the righteous, even in this respect, shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Be patient therefore, my brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. The Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. Jude 14 and 15 Then shall they retract their censures, and alter their opinions of the saints. If Christ will be our advocate, we need not fear who will be our accuser. If your name for his sake be cast out as evil, Christ will deliver it you again in that day, whiter than snow. 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, contain thousands of classic and contemporary Puritan and Reformed books, tapes, and videos at great discounts, is on the web at www.swrb.com www.swrb.com We can also be reached by email at swrb at swrb.com at swrb.com by phone at 780-450-3730 by phone at 780-450-3730 by fax at 780-468-1096 or by mail at 4710-37A 4710-37A Edmonton Edmonton Alberta Alberta Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada You may also request a free printed catalogue. And remember that John Calvin, 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 731, 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 error. 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.