SERMONS. SERMON I INFALLIBLE ANTIDOTES AGAINST UNBELIEVING FEARS.* REV. i. 17. 18.-Fear not: I am he that liveth, and was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen: and have the keys of hell and death. O-DAY is the feast of the Christian paffover. То A communion-table is about to be covered. The great end of perfons fitting down at that table is, that they may fuck the breafts of confolation, and drink abundantly of that blood which flows from the pierced fide of a crucified Saviour. Some feed at this table without fear. Others fear fo much that they cannot feed. To fuch poor trembling fouls our text speaks good and comfortable words: Fear not, &c. As the Lord fhewed to Daniel, a man greatly beloved, the state of his church till his first coming; fo to John, another beloved difciple, he VOL. I. discloses B *Delivered immediately before the difpenfation of the Lord's fupper, O&ober 6. 1706. In Daniel there reHere we see the vi He is repreHe was con difclofes the ftate of his church till his fecond coming. Both of them were dignified with a vision of Christ, the Son of God; and on each of them it had almoft the fame effect. mained no ftrength, Dan. x. fion had a fimilar effect on John. fented, ver. 17. as a dead man. founded with the glory of the person whom he faw. His eyes were dazzled with the brightness, his strength failed, he could act no more than if he had been dead. But our Lord revives him. He lays his right hand on him, and krengthens him, that he might be able to stand, hear, and receive his orders. Jefus comforts him. He rebukes his fears: Fear not. There is a fear with which God is well pleased, and a fear of which he does not approve. This laft is exceffive fear, which greatly mars us in our duty, makes our hearts faint, and our hands hang down, fo as that we have neither heart nor hand for our work. This is incident to the people of God; but Chrift does not allow them in it, though he is tender of them under it. We have next, the grounds of confolation, to difpel this fear, viz. (1.) The Godhead of Chrift. He is the firft and the laft. The first principle of all things, from whom they had their beginning, and the last end of all things: an irrefragable teftimony this of the divinity of Chrift. And it fhews us that the comfort of believers depends upon this article. (2.) The union of the Godhead and manhood in one perfon: where Chrift is held forth as God, the living God; who had life from eternity of himself, and gave life to all the creatures:- -As man; in that it is faid he died. It is fpoken of the fame perfon. It was the living God that died, though not the divine nature. Here we we fee proposed, for John's comfort, the death of Chrift, God-man. He was made man, and died. (3.) His refurrection: I am alive. He overcame death, and arose the third day. (4.) The eternity of that life to which he was raised up: he lives for evermore. To all this is prefixed a behold! to ftir up believers to notice it as the grand fountain of their comfort; and it is followed with an affeveration, Amen, or verily, to put them out of doubt of it. Next, we have his Mediatorial fovereignty: He hath the keys of hell and death. The keys are an enfign of government. The key of the house of David is laid upon his fhoulder. He opens and none can shut, he shuts and none can open, Ifa. xxii. 22. None go to death or hell but when he fends them; and none are kept out of hell, and taken to glory, but by him. From this fubject we may obferve the following DOCTRINE. That the death and refurrection of Christ, that eternal life to which he was raised, and his Mediatory fovereignty, are the great grounds of the faints confolation, and fufficient. to dispel all their unbelieving fears. In difcourfing upon this fubject, I fhall, by divine aid, I. Speak a little, and but a little, to each of these things, to unfold them, fo as that the ground of comfort in them may appear. II. Point out the confolation of the faint to be found in these. III. Make some practical improvement. I. To speak a little to each of the things in the B 2 text, |
