Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

But while contemplating the security, the faithful possess, in this delightful assurance; what I would more immediately desire you to observe, in the promise of the text, is, the character of those to whom it is to extend.

They are said to be, the people, that is not a people; but a specific character is given them the people. Not a people first gathered, and then formed; but antecedent to any thing on their part, they are already formed, and now gathered.

And to define this still more, the term is elsewhere varied, and they are called thy people. God the Father is introduced, by the spirit of prophecy, as addressing the Son, in that memorable scripture, and promising the certainty of their being gathered to Christ, by, the operation of the divine will. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. †

And, as if all this was not enough, in order to ascertain the fact, in another scripture, which was directed to announce both the name, and the office, of the Lord Jesus before his incarnation, he is introduced, under this express mention of him: Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Here they are particularly marked, as belonging to the Redeemer, even before his incarnation and though expressly said to be in N 2

Psalm. 110. 3.

sins,

Con

sins, yet this became no hindrance to his right in them. His people they were, though a sinful rebellious people. Children of God by the right of covenant redemption in grace, though by nature children of wrath and meriting wrath as much as others. This destroyed not their relationship, to their Covenant-head, how unworthy soever they were in themselves. cerning them he had said, surely they are my people, children that will not lie so he was their Saviour. In all their affliction, he was afflicted, and the Angel of his presence saved them, in his love, and in his pity, he redeemed them, and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. And the same blessed Scripture sweetly adds, that though they rebelled against him, and vexed his holy spirit, and he turned for a time to be their enemy, and fought against them, yet he remembered the days of old Moses and his people. And therefore the Prophet introduceth him, as calling upon himself, and all the perfections of the Godhead, to arise for their deliverance; because he was engaged to them in this relationship, as their father their Redeemer from everlasting †

From the authority of those united testimonies of scripture, and confirmed to us as it is, by the general analogy of the divine word throughout; I do not hesitate to conclude, that the people promised to be gathered unto the Shiloh, at his appearing,

+1saiah 63. 8. 9. 11. 16.

appearing are a specific people, in express distinction to the world, out of which they are said to be taken. Hence they are called his children, whom the Father hath given him. His sheep, for whom he laid down his life. His seed, to whom all the promises are made. And what a precious scripture is that of the Prophet in confirmation of the whole of this doctrine, where he takes up the same character of God's people as his sheep, and represents the Redeemer, as the Great Shepherd coming into the world to seek and save his wanderers: and thus he speaks, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock, in the day that he is among his sheep, that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places, where they have been scattered, in the cloudy, and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel, by the rivers and in all the inhabited places of the country. And after many more sweet promises, to the same effect, he adds; Thus shall they know, that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord God. And hence, in conformity to this, when the Lord Jesus sent forth his servants, to act under his Commission, the direction was; go ye to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,

[blocks in formation]

And this view of our subject, will receive, yet a further confirmation, from that memorable passage of scripture in the prophecy of Caiaphas the High Priest. Indeed in its scope, and design, it corresponds to that of the Patriarch Jacob in our text: and when compared together, will be found mutually to illustrate, and explain each other. And one of them, (saith the Evangelist) named Caiphas, being the high Priest that same year, said uuto them, ye know nothing at all nor consider, that it is expedient, that one man should die for the people; and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he the Evangelist adds as an observation particularly to be noticed) not of himself, but, acting in his public character as the high Priest he prophesied, that Jesus should die for that nation, and not for that nation only, but that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. t

.

Here is at once, the plainest, and fullest confirmation, of the whole doctrine. To give the words all the importance they were intended to answer, the Evangelist tells us, that this time serving Priest, was not conscious at the time he spake, of the meaning of his own words. What he said, was not of himself but the Holy Ghost speaking in, him, and by him, to the Church. And the blessed doctrine, this man as a channel of communication, was made

John 11. 49. 52.

to

to convey, was the most momentous, of all doc trines namely that by the death of the Lord Jesus, his people were all redeemed, both Jew, and Gentile, and became fellow heirs, and of the same body and partakers of God's promise in Christ by the Gospel. And moreover, that as both Jew and Gentile, were heirs together, of this redemption, at a time, when they were all alike unconscious of it, and neither knew their misery, nor the gracious provision for their recovery, their gathering in would not be the result of their own wisdom, but the sole effect of his power. He, this Almighty Shiloh, would gather together in one the Children of God, which were scattered abroad. For children, they were, though scattered. He doth not say they shall be first gathered to him, and then, become his children: first made worthy of his favor, and then receive it. But as children, gathered to him, from all places whither they have been scattered. It is because ye are sons, (saith the Apostle) that God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts. It is because they are his people that Jesus saveth them from their sins. Because they are thine, (saith God himself concerning them) they shall be willing in the day of thy power. And hence, when the Redeemer is represented, by one of the Prophets, as returning from redemption work, to the bosom of his Father, and presenting himself, and the souls he had redeemed, as a Conqueror, returning with the spoil before him, he is intro

duced,

« AnteriorContinuar »