SERMON XIII. "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified." Isaiah lxi. 1–3. WE read this as our text this morning, and observed that there were two parts in it. First, the glorious title; and second, the mission of him to whom the title belongs. We dwelt a little on the title, and observed, that most of our old fathers, the reformers, ever found in the commencement of our text the three glorious persons of the Trinity. "The Spirit of the Lord GOD, the Spirit of Jehovah, Adonai, is upon me." Here is the Spirit, the Father, and the Son. It is by the Father's blessed anointing that the Son comes forth to fulfil his mission; to accomplish all the purposes of the Father concerning his own dear children. We compared this morning the first verse of Psalm cx. with the words of our text. "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." It is the same word, "Adonai," in both places; and we have seen that Christ claims it as his own in both. We observed also, this morning, that there are two aspects in which to view this name. First, it signifies that he has all power, as the creator and the supporter of all things. possesses infinite authority. And, secondly, that he istics are contained in this one name, “ Adonai." We looked a little at his infinite power, as the great creator and supporter of all things, both in providence and in grace. We come now to look at the glory of his authority. He tells his disciples, that all things in heaven and earth are his. "All things that the Father hath are mine." (John xvi. 15.) Here is his glorious authority. The Father hath given all that he possesses in himself to his Son, even to our most glorious Christ. "He hath given him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." (Eph. i. 22, 23.) I would observe here, that it is a glorious thought for the child of God ever to bear in mind concerning the authority of Christ our Adonai, that it is for his body's sake, the Church, that he contains in himself all authority in heaven and in earth. There is no power above his own. The Father himself hath conferred upon him all this authority, that he might accomplish all those purposes of love and mercy which he formed in the covenant of grace for the Church before the foundation of the world. And since all power in heaven and earth is given to Christ, and all judgment is committed unto him, we should remember for our consolation that he also appoints all things for his Church. There is not a single circumstance that happens to a child of God, however trifling it may appear, but all is according to his appointment. "Even the hairs of your head are all numbered." (Matt. x. 30.) He appoints and governs all, according to his authority, on behalf of his Church; therefore the Holy Ghost says by Paul, and it is a word that would be well to be remembered by the Lord's dear children in the midst of all their tribulations and exercises, darkness, coldness, doubts, and fears, and all those things which come upon them, with reference both to spiritual and temporal things,-" All things shall work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.' (Romans viii. 28.) "Yes," say you, "I can easily believe that all things shall work together for good to them that love God; but, then, I sometimes feel that I have no more love to God, no more love to Jesus Christ, than if I had never heard of him." Dear brother, you are looking into your dark natural heart; instead of which, you should be looking simply to the Lord, who is the source of all our love. We are not to be reckoning according to our love to him. It is the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost; it is the manifestations of his love to us that kindles love in our hearts towards him. "We love him, because he first loved us." (1 John iv. 19.) Now, since he appoints all things for his body, thế Church, all things must work together for her good; for it is the Church from which he is to get his glory. It is the Church for whom he lives. It is to the Church he is given to be the head over all things. Now it follows, that since all authority is combined with the infinite power of our Adonai, nothing can possibly injure the child of God; nothing can touch the "APPLE OF HIS EYE." (Zech. ii. 8.) This is sweetly set forth in the case of Job. It would have been impossible for Satan to have afflicted him as he did, until he had obtained permission of the Lord to do so; and then he could go no further than he was permitted. "Touch not his life." And if circumstances arise to bring you into the same condition in which Job was broughtif you have the witness that you have passed out of death into spiritual life, the Lord help you to see that, whatever your trials may be, it is all according to his appointment; and to say as Job did, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." (Job xiii. 15.) All these things may appear adverse now; they may not appear to be working together for your good; but the Lord is dealing with you according to his infinite wisdom; and the reason he permits Satan to afflict you is, that you may be brought out of all that you would be resting in, in the creature ; that you may be led to see that all time things are but vanity; that you may look, not at the things which are seen and temporal, but at the things which are not seen, and which are eternal. that you may learn to realize the blessedness of your standing in Christ, and to rejoice that all things are under the authority and government of your most glorious Lord. And Again, as he has all authority, we know that he commands all hearts. He commanded the ravens to feed the prophet Elijah, morning and evening. |