Would ye know what is the exercise of the saints above?
They are even giving obedience unto this text, 'Behold me, Behold me.'There is
not an eye in heaven that is not taken up in the beholding and contemplation of
Him that sits upon the throne, and of the Lamb for ever and ever. This text,
which we have read, is one of the greatest mysteries that can be. Is not this a
mystery, that we should be invited to behold One who is invisible? Who can
resolve that mystery? But, 0 to behold Him, and touch Him, who calls us to
behold, and draw near unto Him! I think, if once we had attained to a
satisfying look of Christ, we would be content to depart and begone. Believers,
and expectants of the crown, are ye not longing to be away, that ye may have
these precious, immediate, and uninterrupted sights of Christ; and that, if it
were possible, ye would take the sand-glass of your time, and shake it, and cry
out, '0 time flee away?Is there such a desire as this among you, that you are
crying out, 0 when shall my night be gone, and all my shadows flee away,
when I shall enter in through these blessed gates, and walk upon these streets
that are paved with gold!Old men, are ye longing to have the immediate sight of
Christ? Ye that are nearest eternity, are ye longing to be carried home? Old
women, are ye longing for the immediate sight of God? Young men and maids, are
ye longing for the day when ye shall be above all these vails that arc between
us and Christ, when ye shall take Him in your arms and cry out, 'He is mine, He
is mine?'
0 the draughts of love that are among the saints who are above!
May we not say, '0 time, haste and flee away! I am sure, if ye knew Him, ye
would not but count the hours and days of your time, and desire Him to rend
these clouds and cry out, 'Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away'.Would ye
know what is the reason that it is said of these that are round about the
throne, they are full of eyes within and without, or behind and before; but
they are not said to be full of tongues? I tell you the reason of it. I think
the saints round about the throne are more taken up in looking than in
speaking; they are more taken up in admiration than expressing their thoughts
of God. I would have every one of you asking yourselves, '0 am longing to be
gone and have the sight of Christ that shall never have an end? Believe it,
there is no wearying in heaven.
But, to come to the words, and, 0, to look
to them. Believe it, Christs heart is with them, and they are perfumed
with love. Ye have in them these two things.
1. Ye have the excellent
desire that Christ presents to sinners, and it is this, 'Behold me, Behold me.'
I desire no more of you but to give me one look.And think ye not this is a poor
desire? Ay, it is both the poorest and richest desire Christ hath to present to
you. 0 Glasgow! wouldst thou satisfy Christ? Then, I say, behold Him. Old men
in Glasgow, would ye satisfy Christ? Then, I say, behold Him. Young men and
maids, would ye satisfy Christ? Then, I say, give the Son of God one look
before he go away. 0! do ye resolve to give Christ a look before he go! Will ye
ask at your own heart? Believe it, if once we saw Him, we would never part with
Him. I cannot tell you what He is, neither think I angels could tell you what
He is. 0 come and see, and that will best resolve the mystery.
2. Ye have,
in the words, these considerations by which He presscth home this desire and
command upon you who are here. The first consideration from the words is in
that ME; Behold me,which consideration is taken from the excellency of
the object that we are invited to behold; as if Christ should say, 'Behold
transcendant ME; Behold spotless ME; behold beautiful ME; Behold dying ME;
Behold compassionate ME; Behold glorified ME.Ay, I think all the rhetoric and
oratory of heaven is comprehended in that word ME; 'Behold ME,and will ye not
take a sight of this precious and excellent object?'
The second
consideration in the words, to press this home, is, that Christ is exceeding
serious with you this day. O Glasgow! His seriousness is pointed out in
doubling and repeating this command, 'Behold me, behold me,as if I should say,
'Behold me'; and, if that will not serve you, I will even say it over again,
Behold me; I have so good will to the thing, that I would fain have you
considering to obey.Believe it, Christ is serious with you; and cursed be the
person who will not be serious with Christ.
The third consideration in the
words to press home this command, is this, that Christ hath interposed much of
His authority for bringing you to the obedience of this command; therefore He
sets this preface before it, 'I said, Behold me, behold me; as if He
would have said, 'Omnipotent I said Behold me. I, who cannot be
resisted, said Behold me; I, who will tread in the wine-press of my
fury all undervaluers of this command, said Behold me, Behold
me.And 0 blessed are we in this, that ever this blessed sentence
proceeded out of the mouth of Christ, 'Behold me, behold me'.Now, will ye not
stir up yourselves to obey? Think ye not this is a most excellent word? What
word of Christ will relish to your heart if this word will not, 'Behold me,
behold me'?
A fourth consideration from the words is taken from the freedom
of this offer; for the offer is given to persons who were not called by His
name.
The fifth consideration from the words is, that there is strength
covenanted for those who resolve and endeavour obedience to this command of
beholding Christ. Are there any persons within these doors who resolve, before
they go home, that they shall get a sight of Christ? I say, there is power
covenanted for thee, and thou shalt get a sight of Him. Know ye not that word,
'Where the word of a king is, there is power'.And I say the word of the King is
here; therefore there is power. I have this word to say unto you, and, if it
were my last word, I may say it unto you; Christ is serious with you and ye
know not how long he will be so; therefore, I adjure you, by all the blessings
of the everlasting covenant, be serious with Him. And know this, if we could
preach the heart of Christ, as it is, I think we could persuade stones to love
Him; but know it, we cannot commend Him half enough. 0 precious Christ, commend
Thyself, for we cannot commend Thee. I think, if we do not commend Christ, if
He were to come here Himself, He would not commend Himself. Know it, there is
not an undervaluing of the offers of Christ from us, but it is as much as if He
were here Himself intreating you to behold Him, and ye should say unto Him
personally, 'We will have none of thee'.
Now, may we say to Him, 'Persuade
this people that thou art serious. Christ is precious company, 0 will ye
take a sight of Him.
3. The last thing in the words is, the persons to whom
the command is given, and it was to 'a nation that was not called by his
name; that is, to a people who neither knew Christ by name nor surname.
These are the persons who are invited to take Christ. I say to thee, be whom
thou wilt, the greatest adulterer within this house, I obtest thee and charge
thee, in His name, to behold Him.
Now, before we speak to any of these
things fully, we shall speak a little to these two questions.
First, what
is here meant by the beholding of Christ, which is the great voice that is
cried to you this day? We conceive, that by beholding Christ, nothing else is
to be understood but faith; and there are these three grounds why faith is
called a beholding of Christ.
1. The first ground is, because faith is a
thing that may be exercised on Christ at a distance; therefore faith is called
a beholding. Ye know, a person may look at a thing far off before he come to
take hold of it; so a Christian, when he cannot get a grip of Christ, may get a
look of Him. And I would say this, 0 Christians, when Christ departs, cast a
greedy eye after Him, and that is the best way to bring Him home.
2. There
is this ground why faith is called a beholding, because the discoveries of
faith and of Christ are as certain and sure as the discoveries of sense. There
is nothing that faith says of Christ, but it is as certain and sure as if ye
had seen it.
3. The third ground why faith is called a beholding and
looking unto Christ is, because faith is the grace that hath sense waiting upon
it; sense is the excellent and inseparable companion of faith; and, for that
cause, faith is called a beholding of Christ. Secondly, the second question in
the words is, what can be the reason that Christ doubles this command, Behold
me, behold me? What needs the doubling of that command? Might not one word have
served? No, I say, we are so desperately wicked that a thousand words will not
serve the turn; though Christ should cry unto you till the breaking of the next
day, there are hundreds here that would not give Christ a look!
1. The
first ground why He doubles the command is, to point out, that a Christian
should not be satisfied with one look of Christ; therefore He cries, Behold me;
and, when ye have done that, ye must even then take another look; He is content
ye should give Him a look, and another look. And,
2. There is this second
ground why He doubles the command, and it is this, to point out the cursed
frame that is among many. We are content too soon with the looks we get of
Christ; some of us are content with half a look of Christ. No (says Christ), be
not content till thou gettest two full and broad looks of me.
3. The third
ground of it is, to point out the unwillingness of the greatest part of the
hearers of the gospel to give to Christone 'behold! Doth not this speak
that Christ is, as it were, constrained to cry out unto you twice, 'Behold me,
behold me! Ay, there are some of you, we may as soon persuade the stones
of the wall to look unto Christ, as persuade you. Ay, when we cry unto you to
give Christ a 'behold!' the devil stands at your elbow and he cries, '0 give me
a behold! And, 0 that ye would obey Christ as soon as ye do the devils
desire. Now, I intreat you, ask yourselves, '0 shall I go away and not get a
behold of Christ? Shall I not get one look of Him?
4. The fourth ground of
doubling the command, is to point out Christs exceeding seriousness and
earnestness in this thing, that we should behold Him. Know it, 0 Glasgow,
Christ is not complimenting with you; therefore, He says, 'Behold me, behold
me! Old men, do ye think Christ is complimenting [exchanging compliments] with
you? I charge you, old men, to know it, and believe it, that Christ is not
complimenting with you; and if ye will not believe and obey this precious
saying, 'Behold me! ye shall once obey that saying, 'Depart from me, I know you
not.
5. The fifth ground of Christs doubling this command: in this
place, is to point out the excellent advantages that lie in the duty of
beholding Christ. '0! (says Christ), take a look of Me; yea, again take a look
of Me; for I cannot tell what advantage lies unto you in this.I have but one
word to say unto you, by the way; I intreat you, what think ye you will do
before the other half hour be done? Are ye resolved to obey this command? 0
sleepers, waken and study to endeavour obedience to this command. I would say
this to you, 0 Glasgow, know it, if thou disobeyest this command today, I defy
all the ministers of Scotland to assure you that ye shall meet with another
behold; therefore harden not your hearts, even in this day, as in the
provocation; and since Christ entreats you to behold Him, I entreat you close
not your own eyes.
Now, in speaking to this excellent exhortation, I
propose this one thing, that it is the duty of all them that hear this
excellent gospel, to whom the glad tidings of salvation are preached, to behold
and look unto Christ. This is clear, in that Christ urges this home with a
twofold command, 'Behold me, behold me; and it is clear from Song iii,
11, 'Go forth, 0 ye daughters of Zion, and behold King Solomon.And I shall turn
over the command, and say unto you, Go forth, 0 daughters of Glasgow, and
behold King Solomon. This is Christs command to you today, that ye would
go forth, and behold Him; and it is clear, Isa. xlii, 1, 'Behold my servant
whom I uphold; and John xx, 27, where this is pressed upon Thomas. Now
that this may be pressed home upon your consciences, I shall propose these
eight considerations.
The first consideration that I would propose to press
you to give one 'Behold' is this, that it is His command that we should look
unto Him; therefore, I say, behold Him; for where the commandment of the king
is, there is power, no doubt, to revenge them that disobey Him. I say that word
unto thee, that is in Eecles. viii, 2, 'I counsel thee to keep the kings
commandment and that in regard of the oath of God. Now this is the commandment
of the great King, that ye should give Christ one 'behold', and who will refuse
Him. 0 that we could make a covenant with our eyes that we might never look
upon another object but Christ. I would give you that counsel which Abimelech
gave unto Sarah in another sense, Let Christ be the covering of thy eyes among
all with whom thou conversest. Now is not this a pressing consideration, that
it is Christs command. 0 will you take this excellent command, and kiss
it, and send it home again.
There is a second consideration to press you to
look unto Christ, and to behold Him, and it is this, ye shall get salvation for
a look. Is there a person here that would have freedom from the wrath of God?
If thou wouldst have it, then I say give Christ one 'Behold' Now is not
salvation offered unto you at an easy rate? Give Christ but one 'Behold,and
thou shalt get salvation, Isa. xlv, 22, 'Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the
ends of the earth'.The gospel, the eternal, the full, the complete, the
ravishing, the transcendent salvation, is offered unto you for a look. 0
Christian, wouldst thou have all the purchase of the death of Christ, come and
take but a look of Him and have it. I am sure that is aim easy market; ye shall
get all the wares of the everlasting gospel for a look. I shall yet go a little
lower, thou shalt get salvation for half a look; is there a person here that
cannot look unto Christ with both his eyes? I say, look unto Christ with one of
thy eyes, and thou shalt get salvation. Know ye not that word, Thou hast
ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck. I say
unto every person, will ye give Christ but half a look and ye shall get all the
riches of the everlasting covenant. And I charge and obtest you, as in His
sight, that ye would not despise His offers.
The third consideration to
press you to look unto Christ, and to give Him one 'Behold, is
this, if thou couldst pray forty years, and weep other forty years; if thou
couldst make thine eyes dim with weeping, and thy knees weak with fasting, and
hadst been at all the communions that ever were in Scotland; if thou couldst he
at them all thy time; and if thou eouldst be at all the fasts, and preachings,
and meetings that are in Scotland, it were to no purpose, if thou givest not
Christ a look. Thy forty years weeping, and thy forty years praying, shall be
but the aggravation of thy punishment if thou givest not Christ a look.
Therefore, this may provoke you to give Christ a look; for whatsoever is not of
faith, is sin. Know ye not, that all the actions of these who are out of Christ
are but abominations.
There is this fourth consideration that I would
propose to press you to look unto Christ, and it is this, that there are many
sad disadvantages that attend the persons who will not look unto Christ, and
behold the Son of God. 0 persons, know it, know it for certainty, there is not
one curse written within the book of the covenant (and 0! there are many broad
and everlasting curses in it), there is not one curse in this book, from the
first of Genesis to the end of the Revelation, but it shall come upon the head
of the person who will not behold the Son of God. 0 what will you do when
Christ shall begin to read the curses in the twenty-sixth chapter of Leviticus,
and in the twenty-seventh chapter of Deuteronomy, 'Cursed be he that despiseth
me; and all the congregation shall say amen'. I charge you, what will ye do,
when Christ shall be sitting upon the throne, and shall judge, and say, 'Cursed
shall be the undervaluers of me'? And there shall not be a saint on His right
hand, in that blessed congregation, but shall say 'Amen'.0 will ye think of it?
There is this fifth consideration to persuade you to look unto Christ, and
to behold Him. Would ye have a heaven upon earth? Then, I say, behold Christ,
for what is heaven? Is it not the beholding of Christ? If ye would have a
heaven upon earth, then give obedience unto this command 'Behold Christ'. 0,
know it for a certainty, there is not an atheist that is here but shall give
Christ one look. Ye shall get one look of Christ, all ye that are here; yea, ye
that are strangers to Christ, shall get one look of Christ, and that shall be
then, when ye shall wish ye were blind, and did not see Him. It shall be in
that day, when He shall sit upon the white throne, and thou shalt lift up thine
eyes and see Him whom thou hast pierced; and thou shalt then cry out, '0 that I
had no eyes to see Him whom I have pierced so oft.' The greatest atheist that
is here shall get one sight of Christ. But, 0, pass not beyond death without
taking a look of Him.
The sixth consideration to press you to look unto
Christ is this, that of all the exercises of a Christian, none hath so great
advantage waiting upon it as this, of looking to the Son of God; and I shall
name but these eight advantages that wait on looking unto Christ.
The
first advantage that waits upon the beholding of Christ is this: It is the
most excellent way to increase the grace of love. 0 Christian that art under
this complaint, '0 how shall I get my love increased!I say, give Christ a
behold, and believe it, it would make thy love to burn as a fire if thou
wouldst but take a broad sight of Christ, Isa. xvii, 7, 'At that day shall a
man look to his maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of
Israel'. There is none of them that look unto Christ, but their heart shall
follow their eye, and their eye shall affect their heart. 0, if this were
Glasgows day of looking to its Maker! What know ye but this is your last
day of looking to your Maker! 0 will ye be provoked, as ye would have the
excellent grace of love increased, to give Christ one look? 0 shall Christ be
here, and there shall be none of us that will take one look of Him? I pray you
to think of it. What if this day, 0 Glasgow! what if Christ shall report this
in heaven? I came to two great congregations under one roof in Glasgow, and
there was (perhaps) none that would behold Me. I charge you to give Him one
'behold.' Old men, will ye behold Him? Did ye never desire to see a wonderful
sight? 0 come, and take a sight of the Son of God.
The second
advantage that waits upon these that look unto Christ is this: It is the most
excellent way to win to the mortification of our idols. Would ye know a
compendious way to mortify your lusts, then give Christ one look. This is
clear, in Isa. xvii, 7, compared with the eighth verse, 'At that day, shall a
man look unto his Maker,and shall cast away his idols, and defile the covering
of them'. If once ye had a sight of spotless Christ, ye would cry out, 'What
have I to do any more with idols? Says Paul, 'I look not to the things that are
seen; what aileth thee, Paul, mayest thou not take a sight of the world?
'No' (says he), 'I look for better things that are not seen'. The looking unto
an unseen Christ made him forget to look to the transient vanities of the
world. Is there a person here that is complaining he cannot get victory over
his idols? Give Christ one 'behold,and thou shalt have victory.
The
third advantage that accompanies and waits upon beholding of Christ is
this: It is the most compendious way to win to repentance. Impenitent Glasgow,
wouldst thou win to repentance? (and I think we are indeed a generation of
impenitent people), and would ye then win to repentance? Then give Christ one
'Behold'. This is clear, Job xlii, 5, 6, 'I have heard of thee by the hearing
of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent
in dust and ashes.The first sight that I got of God, made me to repent, and to
sit down in the dust, and abhor myself. And Zech. xii, 10, 'And they shall look
upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn. Believe it, I think if we
were looking to Christ at this time, there would not be a person within these
doors, but would be weeping for Him whom they have pierced. I charge you, if ye
would have repentance, then look to Christ. One look of Christ would make our
frozen hearts to melt; one look of Him would make all our bonds to break; one
look of Him would make all the bars of our doors that hinder us to repent,
break. Would ye have repentance? Then give Christ a look, 'behold Him.'
The fourth advantage that waits upon one that gives Christ a look is
this: Thou shalt have a victory over the grand idol of pride. Are there any
persons here that are complaining of this, that they cannot have too low
thoughts of themselves? I say to such, give Christ a look, Isa. vi, 5, 'I have
seen the Lord of hosts; and what of that? 'I am a man of unclean
lips'.And Job xlii, 5, 6, 'Mine eye seeth thee, wherefore I abhor myself in
dust and ashes.If we may allude to that word, 'Thine eyes are upon me, and I am
not', Job vii, 8. 0, but a sight of Him who is invisible, would cause us to
make our dwelling-place in the dust, and never to have high thoughts of
ourselves anymore! -
The fifth advantage that attends beholding of
Christ is this: Thou wouldst recover from thy apostasy and defection from God.
Are there not many Christians that have this complaint in their mouths, 0 to he
as in the days of old, and as in the months past? I say to you, give Christ but
one 'Behold'. This is clear, Luke xxii, 61, 62. Believe it, a look of Christ is
even as a cord about our necks, to draw us home to Him. A look of Christ makes
a person to cry out, I never had a good day out of Christs
company, therefore I will return again to Him.A look of Christ will make a
Christian forsake his lovers, after whom he hath gone, and return again to Him.
Would ye then recover from your apostasy? Then give Christ a look..
The
sixth advantage that attends the beholding of Christ is this: It is the
most excellent way to win above thy diseouragements. Is there a person here
that is under the feet of discouragement? If ye would win above it, then give
Christ a 'Behold.0! a sight of Christ would make us a city of joy; 'they
rejoiced when they saw Jesus; ay, a sight of Him would make us 'a city of
praise',and 'the voice of thanksgiving should be heard in it.Is there any
person here that would have the garment of praise, instead of the garment of
heaviness? Then give unto Christ a look and obey this text.
There is this
seventh advantage that attends the beholding of Christ and it is this:
It is an excellent way to win to steadfastness of spirit. Are there not some
persons here that cry out, 'I am unstable as water, and that mars my
excellency; how shall I win to a composed way of serving God? Give Christ a
look and that is the way to win to stedfastness. This is clear, Psalm xvi, 8,
'I have set the Lord always before me.That was a strange word, 'I have set the
Lord always before me; was it not a pleasant object? But what of that?
Therefore, 'I shall never be moved. My stability depends upon this, I have God
always within sight. And I would say this, if ye be not within speaking to God,
0 be within looking to Him. Is there a person here that is not within gripping
or speaking unto God? Yea, 0 be within looking to Him; for, though He were far
off, ye may take a look of Him.
The eighth advantage that waits upon
looking unto Christ is this: Give Christ a look and that is an excellent way to
attain to tenderness. Peters heart, in a manner, was like a rock before
Christ gave him a look, and then, as it were, ye might have melted it to water.
0 tenderness! whither is it gone? And what is the reason we are so untender? It
is because we are not much taken up in looking unto Christ. This is clear, if
there be a person here that hath gotten a look of Christ, he will 'water his
couch with tears'
The seventh consideration to press you to behold Christ
is this, that the look ye get of Him here is but the forerunner of a more
excellent, transcendent, and permanent look of Him hereafter. Any person that
hath given Christ a look here, 0 that satisfying look that he shall have of Him
hereafter! I tell you nine differences between the look that a Christian hath
of Christ here upon earth, and the look that he shall have of Him in heaven.
1st. The look of Christ that a Christian hath here is but a look through
the vail, but there we shall see Him face to face.
2ndly. The difference
between the look of Christ that a Christian hath here, and the look of Him
which is above, is this,the look of Christ that we have here admits of
interruptions, but the look of Him which is above, shall never be interrupted.
A Christian will get a look of Christ here, but presently a cloud comes in
between and interrupts the enjoyment; but there is no cloud in heaven. Blessed
are the congregation that stand about the throne, they never cease to behold
Him.
3rdly. A look that a Christian hath here of Christ, doth not complete
his joy and satisfaction, but the look that a Christian shall have above, 0,
how shall it complete his joy and satisfaction! All the looks a Christian gets
of Christ here are rather to provoke his appetite than to satisfy it. Would ye
know the first day of a Christians satisfaction? It is in the morning of
the resurrection. This is clear, Psalm xvii, 15, 'When I awake, I shall be
satisfied with thy likeness.Might one say, '0 David, were you never satisfied?
Were you not satisfied when you sang the sixty-third, the one hundred and
forty-seventh, and the one hundred and forty-eighth psalms?' No,says David, 'I
shall never be satisfied till the morning of the resurrection.
4thly. Here a
Christian gets a look but of Christ's back parts; but there he shall see Him
face to face. All these excellent sights we have of God here, are but a
beholding of His back parts; but there we shall see Him face to face (Exod. 33,
23).
5thly. All the looks of Christ that we have here are but, as it were,
the beholding of the picture of Christ; but there we shall see Him as He is.
There is a great difference between the picture of Christ and the real
substance of Him, and all the sights of Christ that a Christian hath here are
but, as it were, His picture. This is clear, Numb. xii, 8, where God says of
Moses' beholding Him - And the similitude of the Lord shall he behold.
And Ezekiel, giving account of the sight he saw, says, 'It was the appearance
of the glory of God. But there we shall have a sight of an unvailed, of a real
discovered Christ.
6thly. There is this difference between the look of
Christ that a Christian hath here and that which he shall have of Him
hereafter; the look that a Christian gets of Christ here may be abused; but the
look that he gets of Him above cannot be abused. Do we not often abuse our
looks of Christ through pride? Do we not often abuse our looks of Christ
through formality? And do we not often abuse our looks of Him through security?
But these looks of Christ that are above cannot be abused; there is no abusing
of enjoyments in heaven.
7thly. The seventh difference is this, all the
looks of Christ that a Christian hath here doth not complete his conformity;
but the everlasting and broad, immediate look of Christ that a Christian shall
have above, shall complete his conformity. Our beholding of Christ in a glass
makes us to be changed, in some measure, 'from glory to glory'; but, when we
shall have an immediate sight of God, we shall be completely conformed to His
image; there shall not be a spot in all our souls.
8thly. The eighth
difference between them is, all the looks of Christ that a Christian hath here,
never put him from that, 0 give, give; that is the language of a
Christian; but, when once he shall get a sight of Him above, he shall be
forced, in a manner, to cry out, 'Hold thy hand, for I have abundance now'. Do
ye not long to get these looks of Christ that are above?
9thly. The last
difference between them, is this, the sight of Christ that we have here doth
not complete our love; but the sight of Him which we shall have above, shall
complete our love. Then shall we have light and love of a large extent;'
hope and faith shall then leave us; and light and love shall walk in with us,
and divide the spoil. There is this eighth consideration to press you to look
to Christ: I entreat you to think what ye will do. 0 what intend you to do? Do
you intend to let Christ go away, and not give Him one 'behold'? Think ye that
this shall indeed be that which shall be told in heaven of you, 'I came to
Glasgow, and Glasgow would not give Me one behold'.
The ninth and
last consideration is this: If once thou lookest unto Christ, and beholdest
Him, there shall be a knot of marriage made up between thee and Him, which all
the world shall not be able to untie. 0 young women, young women, I entreat
you, come and give Christ one look, and this shall he an eternal and excellent
marriage knot that shall be cast between you and Him. I will tell you five
things that do break the most near and intimate relations that are imaginable,
and yet cannot break this knot of union.
1. Are there not many persons that
stand in very near relations, that ingratitude will make to loose their knots?
Then brethren, or intimate friends (a great relation), will say, 'Will I love
an ungrateful friend any more :' But, be thou never so ungrateful, it shall
never break the knot of union between thee and Christ; it may well get thee
many strokes from Christ, but it will never break the union.
2. The second
thing that will break knots of union and time most near relations among men, is
sin. It will break the knot of union between man and wife; adultery will break
the marriage-knot; but no sin, 0 Christian, shall break the knot between thee
and Christ; if thou shouldst play the harlot many hundreds of days, that will
not break the knot. Blessed are we in this, that no sin shall break that knot
of marriage.
3. This breaks knots of friendship between persons that will
not break it between Christ and a soul, and that is, distance of place. When
once we are long out of sight of such a friend, we forget him; but, 0 blessed
be precious Christ, who, though He be living in heaven, distance of place doth
not make Him to forget us. Blessed are we in this, that distance of place doth
not break the knot of union with Christ; His heart is in Glasgow, if your
hearts would be in heaven.
4. What breaks the knots of union among persons
is passion and anger. Nothing would divide two friends sooner than passion and
anger. However, Christ may be angry with thee, but He will not break His
covenant. Let Him he angry at thee, and thou at Him, yet it shall not break the
marriage-knot; yea, if ye should take both hands to break it, it should not be
broken.
5. What breaks a knot of union that will not break it between
Christ and thee, is this, prejudice and jealousy. Is there anything that makes
persons to grow sooner heartless, one with another, than to have a suspicion
and jealousy such a person doth not really love them? But, 0, blessed are we in
this, for Christ hath no jealousy, and, as for us, no suspicion. Though it were
our desire, we shall never come the length as to break the knot; yea, although
thou wouldst break the knot, and scrape out thy name out of the
marriage-contract, Christ would say, 'Thou shalt not get leave'. Many persons
that have been married to Christ, have been brought to this, 'Give me a pen and
I will scrape out my name out of thy contract'. 'No, says Christ, 'thou shalt
not get leave, it shall stand there. Sir, now think what you shall say to it? I
entreat you, think what you shall say to this bargain? And, being loath to
leave it without gaining your consent to this excellent bargain, I shall tell
you these four things, and I entreat and charge you, remember them.
1st. I
say, know this, remember ye heard this once preached in Glasgow pulpit, 'Behold
me, behold me'. And know it, the day is approaching when that verse shall come
to thy mind, and thou shalt cry out, 'What was I doing that I would not give
Christ a look- Yea, know it of a certainty,that when thou shalt be passing
through the threshold of the doors of thy everlasting prison, this word shall
come to thy mind, once I was bidden look unto Christ, and now whither am I
going. When thou shalt cry forth with a dreadful lamentation, 'Whither are the
undervaluers of Christ now going'? 0 I would never disobey that preaching if I
heard it again.
2ndly. Know this, that all the persons within this church
shall be witnesses one against another, if they embrace not Christ. I make the
supposition that you are the person to whom Christ should say, 'What was the
reason that you would not give me one behold? I pray, what would you say, if
Christ would come here tonight and ask every one of us, before we depart, 'What
is the reason that you would not give Me one look? I pray you, what would you
say? Think of it, what you shall answer unto Christ in that day, when He shall
thus pose you?
3rdly. I would say this, there are two times approaching
when you shall cry out, '0 for a preaching upon the first verse of the
sixty-fifth chapter of Isaiah. Shall not that be a day when thou shalt cry out,
'0, for a look of Christ, when thou shalt be standing near the gates of death,
thou shalt cry out, '0, for a command to look unto Christ? The second time is,
when thou shalt be standing before thy judge. I know that a multitude of words
will not persuade you.. There are these four things that I would say unto you;
there are four sorts of persons that I fear are within these doors. Now the
broad and everlasting curse of the eternal God will be upon the person, be he
who he will, that is among these four. And,
(1) There are some of the
Gadarenes among us, that cry out, '0 Christ depart out of our coasts! Are there
not many here that would be content to give Christ a bill of divorce? I say,
cursed art thou, be thou whom thou wilt. And,
(2) There are a second sort
of folk that will be here today that will cry out, 'We care for none of these
things; you press us to look to Christ, and what of that? I say, cursed is that
person that is of Gallio's frame, who, let Christ and the minister press you
never so much, will never give Christ one look. I say to thee, be it according
to thy desire, thou shalt never get a look of Christ.
(3) I think there be
many of Pilate's humour here today that cry out, 'I know nothing against the
man whom you press us to behold; but, at last, you will consent to crucify Him.
0 know ye nothing against Christ, and will ye consent to crucify Him!
(4)
There will be some here today of an Athenian frame, that will say, 'This man
feigns to be a setter forth of strange gods. 'No, say I, 'I am no setter forth
of strange gods; it is Jesus of Nazareth that I preach unto you, 0 Glasgow!
Un-persuadable Glasgow! Will you not be persuaded to give Christ one look?
4thly. Now there is this, lastly, that I would say unto you, to press you
to give Christ one 'Behold,' and it is this, if you - would ask all the angels
in heaven, and all the saints that are round about the throne, they would all
say this, 0 give Christ a 'behold'. Do not all that are round about the throne
say, it is good to behold Him? Do not Adam and Eve say, it is good to behold
Him? Do not Abel, and Enoch, and Noah say, it is good to behold Him? Do not
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob say, it is good to behold Christ? Do not the
twelve patriarchs say, it is good to behold Christ? Do not the twelve apostles
say, it is good to behold Christ? And do not all His saints that have tasted of
the sweetness of Christ say, 0 it is good to behold Him? And ought not our
souls to say, and all in us to cry out, O it is good to behold Him? Now, will
ye go away without giving your consent? 0 speechless Glasgow! hast thou that
one word to say, I am content to take Him? 0 speechless and unpersuadable
Glasgow, wilt thou once come to this length, to say that word to Him, I am
content? Though thou cannot say it heartsomely, thou shalt never rue it; that
word shall afford to thee everlasting joy. Some folk will be ashamed to speak
their consent to a husband that is suiting them; but wilt thou speak thy
consent to Christ with a look, if not with thy mouth. Christ desires no more,
but that ye would now speak your consent to Him with a look, if not with thy
mouth. Christ desires no more, but that ye would speak your consent to Him in a
broad look, if thou cannot do it otherwise.
Now, are you persuaded? I shall
say no more, but this book will be a witness against you. I am sure it is but a
poor work, if ye will do no more, to give Christ a look. Shall I use any more
arguments? Or shall I take it for granted that ye will not give Christ one
look? I do not think Christ is to be beheld with bodily eyes; hut I think ye
will do this, as if one were desiring another to behold a pleasant object,
which they desire not to behold; they would put their hands upon both their
eyes that they might not behold. So, I think, ye will do with this intimation
to behold Christ; for, if Christ were coming here Himself tonight, ye would put
both your hands upon your eyes, that ye might not behold Him. Now, if this were
the last word that I were to speak in the name of the Lord, I might say Glasgow
is an unpersuadable and speechless place. 0 Glasgow, wilt thou not know the
things that belong to thy peace, and begin a pursuit after the Son of God? I
have three words to say unto you, and shall close.
(1) Believe it, though
ye have undervalued Christ forty years, He is content now to take you. Old men,
ye have your names, old undervaluers of the Son of God, will ye be content now
to take Him? And, I say, though ye had never given Christ a look before, ye are
welcome to give Him a look now.
(2) There is nothing should be pleasant to
us, till once we have given Christ a look. And,
(3) I would say this to
you, perhaps Christ is going away, and we are as great strangers to Him as
before. 0 Glasgow, if thou couldst sing the fifth verse of the forty-second
chapter of Job, I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine
eye seeth thee. 0 if thou couldst say that, then thou mightest indeed cry out,
Now I wish I were, in a manner, blind, that I never saw another sight. To Him
who can anoint your eyes with eye-salve, to see Him, we desire to give praise.
Amen.
Home | Sermons | Links |
Literature | Letter |
Photos