1. Counsel.
What heavenly counsel is that where Christ saith, "buy of me gold tried by the fire, that thou mayest be rich, and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear" (Rev 3:18). Also that, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (Isa 55:1). "Hear, and your soul shall live" (v 3). "Take hold of my strength, that you may make peace with me, and you shall make peace with me" (Isa 27:5).
2. Instruction.
What instruction is here?
"Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the man that heareth me," saith Christ, "watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me, findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord" (Prov 8:33-35). Take heed that no man deceive you by any means. "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life" (John 6:27). "Strive to enter in at the strait gate" (Luke 13:24). "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31). "Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits." "Quench not the Spirit." "Lay hold on eternal life." "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matt 5:16). Take heed, and beware of hypocrisy; "watch and be sober," "learn of me," saith Christ, "come unto me."
3. Forewarning.
What forewarning is here?
"Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke, then a great ransom cannot deliver thee" (Job 36:18). "Be ye not mockers, lest your hands be made strong, for I have heard from the Lord G.o.d of hosts, a consumption even determined upon the whole earth" (Isa 28:22). "Beware, therefore, lest that come upon you that is written, Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish. For I work a work in your days, which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you" (Acts 13:40,41). "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor 10:12).
"Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation" (Matt 26:41).
"Let us therefore fear lest a promise being" made, and "left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it" (Heb 4:1). "I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that the Lord having saved the people out of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not" (Jude 5).
"Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown" (Rev 3:11).
4. Comfort.
What comfort is here?
"Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37).
"Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28). "Be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee" (Matt 9:2). "I will never leave, nor forsake thee,"
for "I have loved thee with an everlasting love" (Jer 31:3). "I lay down my life for the sheep." I lay down my life that they may have life. "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." "I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee" (2 Cor 6:2).
"Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." "For I have blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgression, and as a cloud thy sins; return unto me, for I have redeemed thee" (Isa 44:22).
5. Grief to those that fall short.
O sad grief!
"How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof, and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me" (Prov 5:11-13). They shall "curse their king and their G.o.d, and look upward. And they shall look unto the earth, and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish, and they shall be driven to darkness" (Isa 8:21,22). "He hath dispersed"
abroad, "he hath given to the poor, his righteousness endureth for ever.--The wicked shall see it, and be grieved, he shall gnash his teeth, and melt away; the desire of the wicked shall perish"
(Psa 112:9,10). "There shall be weeping,--when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of G.o.d, and you yourselves thrust out" (Luke 13:28). All which things are slighted by the world.
Thus much, in short, touching this, That unG.o.dly men undervalue the Scriptures, and give no credit to them, when the truth that is contained in them is held forth in simplicity unto them, but rather cry out, Nay, but if one should rise from the dead then they think something might be done; when alas, though signs and wonders were wrought by the hands of those that preach the gospel, these poor creatures would never the sooner convert, though they suppose they should, as is evident by the carriages of their forerunners, who albeit the Lord Jesus Christ himself did confirm his doctrine by miracles, as opening blind eyes, casting out of devils, and raising the dead, they were so far from receiving either him or his doctrine, that they put him to death for his pains! Though he had done so many miracles among them, yet they believed not in him (John 12:37).
But to pa.s.s this, I shall lay down some of the grounds of their rejecting and undervaluing the Scriptures, and so pa.s.s on.
1. [Ground.] Because they do not believe that they are the Word of G.o.d, but rather suppose them to be the inventions of men, written by some politicians, on purpose to make poor ignorant people to submit to some religion and government.[44] Though they do not say this, yet their practices testify the same; as he that when he hears the words of the curse, yet blesseth himself in his heart, and saith he shall have peace, though G.o.d saith he shall have none (Deut 29:18-20). And this must needs be, for did but men believe this, that it is the Word of G.o.d, then they must believe that he that speak it is true, therefore shall every word and t.i.ttle be fulfilled. And if they come once to this, unless they be stark mad, they will have a care how they do throw themselves under the lash of eternal vengeance. For the reason why the Thessalonians received the Word, was, because they believed it was the Word of G.o.d, and not the word of man, which did effectually work in them by their thus believing. "When ye received the Word of G.o.d which ye heard of us," saith he, "ye received it not as the word of man, but, as it is in truth, the Word of G.o.d, which effectually worketh also in you that believe" (1 Thess 2:13). So that did a man but receive it in hearing, or reading, or meditating, as it is the Word of G.o.d, they would be converted. "But the Word preached did not profit,--not being mixed with faith in them that heard it"
(Heb 4:2).
2. [Ground.] Because they do not indeed see themselves by nature heirs of that exceeding wrath and vengeance that the Scriptures testify of. For did they but consider what G.o.d intends to do with those that live and die in a natural state, it would either sink them into despair, or make them fly for refuge to the hope that is set before them. But if there be never such sins committed, and never so great wrath denounced, and the time of execution be never so near, yet if the party that is guilty be senseless, and altogether ignorant thereof, he will be careless, and regards it nothing at all. And that man, by nature, is in this condition, it is evident. For, take the same man that is senseless, and ignorant of that misery he is in by nature, I say, take him at another time when he is a little awakened, and then you shall hear him roar, and cry out so long as trouble is upon him, and a sense of the wrath of G.o.d hanging over his head, Good sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Though the same man at another time, when his conscience is fallen asleep, and grown hard, will lie like the smith"s dog at the foot of the anvil, though the fire-sparks fly in his face. But, as I said before, when any one is a little awakened, O what work will one verse, one line, nay, one word of the holy Scriptures make in his heart.[45] He cannot eat, sleep, work, keep company with his former companions, and all because he is afraid that the d.a.m.nation spoken of in Scripture will fall to his share, like Balaam, who said, "I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord" (Num 22:18). So long as he had something of the word of the Lord with authority, severity, and power on his heart; but at another time he could teach "Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel" (Rev 2:14).
3. [Ground.] Because the carnal priests do tickle the ears of their hearers with vain philosophy and deceit, and thereby harden their hearts against the simplicity of the gospel and Word of G.o.d, which things the apostle admonished those that have a mind to close in with Christ to avoid, saying, "Beware lest any man," be he what he will, "spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, and rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Col 2:8). And you who muzzle up your people in ignorance with Aristotle, Plato, and the rest of the heathenish philosophers, and preach little, if anything, of Christ rightly; I say unto you, that you will find you have sinned against G.o.d, and beguiled your hearers, when G.o.d shall, in the judgment-day, lay the cause of the d.a.m.nation of many thousands of souls to your charge, and say, He will require their blood at your hands (Eze 33:6).
4. [Ground.] Another reason why the carnal unbelieving world do so slight the Scriptures and Word of G.o.d, is, because the judgment spoken of in the Scripture is not presently executed on the transgressors. "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil" (Eccl 8:11). Because G.o.d doth not presently strike the poor wretch as soon as he sins, but waits, and forbears, and is patient, therefore the world judging G.o.d to be unfaithful, go to it again and again, and every time grow harder and harder, till at last G.o.d is forced either to stretch out his mighty power to turn them, or else send death, with the devil and h.e.l.l, to fetch them. "Thou thoughtest," saith G.o.d, "that I was altogether such an one as thyself, but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. Now consider this, ye that forget G.o.d, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver" (Psa 50:21,22).
5. [Ground.] Another reason why the blind world do slight the authority of Scripture, is, because they give ear to the devil, who, through his subtilty, casteth false evasions and corrupt interpretations on them, rendering them not so point blank the mind of G.o.d, and a rule for direction to poor souls, persuading them that they must give ear and way to something else besides, and beyond that; or else he labours to render it vile and contemptible, by persuading them that it is a dead letter, when indeed they know not what they say, nor whereof they affirm. For the Scripture is not so dead but that the knowledge of it is able to make any man wise unto salvation, through faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus (2 Tim 3:15); and is profitable for instruction, reproof, and correction in righteousness, that the man of G.o.d may be thoroughly furnished to all good works (v 17).
And where it is said the letter killeth, he meaneth the law, as it is the ministration of d.a.m.nation, or a covenant of works, and so indeed it doth kill, and must do so, because it is just, forasmuch as the party that is under the same is not able to yield to it a complete and continual obedience. But yet I will call Peter and Paul to witness that the Scriptures are of a very glorious concernment, inasmuch as in them is held forth to us the way of life; and also in that they do administer good ground of hope to us. "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope" (Rom 15:4). And again, "Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting G.o.d, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith" (Rom 16:25,26). And therefore whosoever they be that slight the Scriptures, they slight that which is no less than the Word of G.o.d; and they who slight that, slight him that spake it; and they that do so, let them look to themselves, for G.o.d will be revenged on such. Much more might be said to this thing, but I would not be tedious.
A word or two more, so I have done with this. Consider the danger of slighting the words of the prophets or apostles, whether they be correction, reproof, admonition, forewarning, or the blessed invitations and promises contained in them.
1. [Consider] Such souls do provoke G.o.d to anger, and to execute his vengeance on them. "They refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear"
the law, and "they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of Hosts hath sent in his Spirit by the former prophets; therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of Hosts" (Zech 7:11,12).
2. [Consider] G.o.d will not regard in their calamity. "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof. I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh. When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me" (Prov 1:24-28).
3. [Consider] G.o.d doth commonly give up such men to delusions, to believe lies. "Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved," therefore "G.o.d shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be d.a.m.ned" (2 Thess 2:10-12).
4. [Consider] In a word, they that do continue to reject and slight the Word of G.o.d, they are such, for the most part, as are ordained to be d.a.m.ned. Old Eli, his sons not hearkening to the voice of their father reproving them for their sins, but disobeying his voice, it is said, It was "because the Lord would slay them"
(1 Sam 2:25). Again see in 2 Chronicles 25:15, 16. Amaziah having sinned against the Lord, he sends to him a prophet to reprove him; but Amaziah says, "Forbear, why shouldest thou be smitten?"
He did not hearken to the word of G.o.d, "Then the prophet forbare, saying, I know that G.o.d hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast--not hearkened unto my counsel." Read, therefore, and the Lord give thee understanding. For a miserable end will those have that go on sinning against G.o.d, rejecting his Word.
Other things might have been observed from this verse, which at this time I shall pa.s.s by; partly because the sum of them hath been touched already, and may be more clearly hinted at in the following verse; and therefore I shall speak a few words to the next verse, and so draw towards a conclusion.
Verse 31.--"And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
"And he said"; that is, and G.o.d made answer to the words spoken in the verse before, "And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses,"
&c. As if he had said, Moses was a man of great renown, a man of worthy note, a man that talked with G.o.d face to face, as a man speaketh to his friend. The words that Moses spake were such as I commanded him to speak. Let who will question them, I will own them, credit them, bless them that close in with them, and curse those that reject them.
I myself sent the prophets, they did not run of their own heads, I gave them commission, I thrust them out, and told them what they should say. In a word, they have told the world what my mind is to do, both to sinners and to saints; "They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them." Therefore he that shall reject and turn his back either upon the threatenings, counsels, admonitions, invitations, promises, or whatsoever else I have commanded them to speak as to salvation and life, and to directions therein, shall be sure to have a share in the many curses that they have spoken, and the destruction[46] that is p.r.o.nounced by them. Again, "If they hear not Moses and the prophets," &c. As if he had said, Thou wouldst have me send one from the dead unto them; what needs that? They have my mind already, I have declared unto them what I intend to stand to, both for saving them that believe, and d.a.m.ning them that do not. That therefore which I have said I will make good, whether they hear or forbear. And as for this desire of yours, you had as good desire me to make a new Bible, and so to revoke my first sayings by the mouth of my prophets. But I am G.o.d and not man, and my Word is immutable, unchangeable, and shall stand as fast as my decrees can make it; heaven and earth shall pa.s.s away, but one jot or t.i.ttle of my Word shall not pa.s.s (Matt 5:18). If thou hadst ten thousand brethren, and every one in danger of losing his soul, if they did not close in with what is contained and recorded in the Scriptures of truth, they must even every one of them perish, and be for ever d.a.m.ned in h.e.l.l, for the Scriptures cannot be broken. I did not send them so unadvisedly to recall it again by another consideration. No, for I speak in righteousness and in judgment (Isa 63:1-3), and in much wisdom and counsel. It being therefore gone out of my mouth in this manner, it shall not return in vain, until it hath accomplished the thing whereto I have sent it (Isa 55:11).
But again, thou supposest that miracles and wonders will work more on them, which makes thee say, Send one from the dead. But herein thou art mistaken, for I have proved them with that once and again, by more than one, or two, or three of my servants. How many miracles did my servant Moses work by commandment from me in the land of Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness! Yet they of that generation were never the sooner converted for that; but, notwithstanding, rebelled and l.u.s.ted, and in their hearts turned back into Egypt (Acts 7). How many miracles did Samuel, David, Elias, Elisha, Daniel, and the prophets, together with my Son, who raised the dead, cast out devils, made them to see that were born blind, gave and restored limbs! Yet for all this, as I said before, they hated him, they crucified him. I raised him again from the dead, and he appeared to his disciples, who were called, and chosen, and faithful, and he gave them commandment and commission to go and testify the truth of this to the world; and to confirm the same he enabled them to speak with divers tongues, and to work miracles most plentifully, yet there was great persecution raised against them, insomuch that but a few of them died in their beds.
And, therefore, though thou thinkest that a miracle will do so much with the world, yet I say no. For if they will not believe Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one should rise from the dead.
From these words, therefore, take notice of this truth, namely, that those who reject and believe not Moses and the prophets are a very hard-hearted people, that will not be persuaded though one rise from the dead. They that regard not the holy Scriptures to turn to G.o.d, finding them to testify of his goodness and mercy, there is but little hopes of their salvation; for they will not, mark, they will not be persuaded though one should rise from the dead. This truth is confirmed by Jesus Christ himself. If you read John 5, where the Lord is speaking of himself that he is the very Christ, he brings in four or five witnesses to back what he said.
1. John Baptist. 2. The works that his Father gave him to do. 3.
His Father speaking from heaven. 4. The testimony of the Scriptures.
When all this was done, seeing yet they would not believe, he lays the fault upon one of these two things:--(1.) Their regarding an esteem among men. (2.) Their not believing of the prophets"
writings, even Moses and the rest. "For had ye believed Moses,"
saith he, "ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?"
Now, I say, he that shall slight the Scriptures, and the testimony of the prophets in them concerning Jesus Christ, must needs be in great danger of losing his soul, if he abide in this condition; because he that slights the testimony doth also slight the thing testified of, let him say the contrary never so often. For as Jesus Christ hath here laid down the reason of men"s not receiving him, so the apostle in another place lays down the reason again with a high and mighty aggravation (1 John 5:10), saying, "He that believeth on the Son of G.o.d hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not G.o.d hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record," mark, "the record that G.o.d gave of his Son." The record, you will say, what is that? Why even the testimony that G.o.d gave of him by the mouth of all the holy prophets since the world began (Acts 3:18-20). That is, G.o.d sending his holy Spirit into the hearts of his servants, the prophets and apostles, he, by his Spirit in them, did bear witness or record of the truth of salvation by his Son Jesus, both before and after his coming.
And thus is that place also to be understood which saith, "There are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood." That is, the Spirit in the apostles which preached him to the world, as is clear if you read seriously 1 Thessalonians 4:8. The apostle, speaking of Jesus Christ and obedience to G.o.d through him, saith thus, Now "he that despiseth, despiseth not man, but G.o.d." But it is you that speak; true, but it is by and through the Spirit, "He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but G.o.d, who hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit." This is therefore a mighty confirmation of this truth, that he that slights the record or testimony that G.o.d, by his Spirit in his prophets and apostles, hath testified unto us, slights the testimony of the Spirit who moved them to speak these things; and if so, then I would fain know how any man can be saved by Jesus Christ that slights the testimony concerning Christ, yea, the testimony of his own Spirit concerning his own self? It is true men may pretend to have the testimony of the Spirit, and from that conceit set a low esteem on the holy Scriptures; but that spirit that dwelleth in them and teacheth them so to do, it is no better than the spirit of Satan, though it calls itself by the name of the Spirit of Christ. "To the law," therefore, "and to the testimony,"
try them by that; "if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."
The apostle Peter, when he speaks of the glorious voice that he had from the excellent majesty, saying of Christ, "This is my beloved Son, hear him," saith thus to them whom he wrote unto, "You have also a more sure word of prophecy," or of the prophets, for so you may read it, "unto which ye do well that ye take heed."
That is, though we tell you that we had this excellent testimony from his own mouth evidently, yet you have the prophets. We tell you this, and you need not doubt of the truth of it; but if you should, yet you may not, must not, ought not to question them.
Search therefore into them, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts. That is until by the same Spirit that gave forth the Scripture you find the truth confirmed to your souls, which you have recorded in the Scriptures--that this word of prophecy, or of the prophets, is the Scriptures. Read on; for, saith he, "knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation," &c. (2 Peter 1:20).
[Object.] But, you will say, What needs all this ado, and why is all this time and pains spent in speaking to this that is surely believed already? This is a thing received by all, that they believe the Scriptures to be the Word of G.o.d, that sure word of prophecy; and therefore you need not spend your time in proving these things, and the truth of them, seeing we grant and confess the truth of it before you being to speak your judgment of them.
Answ. The truths of G.o.d cannot be borne witness unto too often; you may as well say, 1. You need not preach Jesus Christ so much, seeing he hath been, and is received for the true Messias already.
2. Though many may suppose that they do believe the Scriptures, yet if they were but well examined, you will find them either by word of mouth, or else by conversation, to deny, reject, and slight the holy Scriptures. It is true, there is a notional and historical a.s.sent in the head. I say, in the head of many, or most, to the truth contained in Scripture. But try them, I say, and you shall find but a little, if any, of the faith of the operation of G.o.d in the hearts of poor men, to believe the Scriptures, and things contained in them. Many, yea, most men believe the Scriptures as they believe a fable, a story, a tale, of which there is no certainty! But alas! there are but few do in deed and in truth believe the Scriptures to be the very Word of G.o.d.