BOOK 1. THE SUBJECT.
CHAPTER 3.
1.3.6. Motives from our Riches, in case we are lively in this Duty.
To quicken us to this duty; I shall propound some moving considerations: ponder and weigh them with an impartial judgment. Who knows, but through the assistance of Christ, they may prove effectual with your hearts, and make you to resolve upon this excellent duty of looking unto Jesus.
Consider, our riches, in case we are lively in this duty.
Our Riches.
For our riches, in case we are lively in this duty: O the blessed incomes to such; I may reckon up here those very particulars, which the others wanted.
1. That Christ gives light unto them. As the receiving of the sun gives light to the body, so the receiving of the Sun of righteousness gives light, a spiritual, heavenly, and comfortable light to their souls.
2. That Christ gives grace and holiness unto them; of his fulness we receive grace for grace, John i. 16. As the print upon the wax answers to the seal, or as the characters upon the son answers to the father; so there are certain stamps of the grace of Christ upon the saints, that what good they do, it springs not from external motives only, as in hypocrites, but from Christ working in them an inward principle of new nature, and upon this account doth John tell us, "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." John i. 17.
3. That Christ gives contentment or satisfaction unto them. As the pearl satisfied the merchants in the parable with treasure, so Christ satisfied the soul with wisdom and understanding, with the sense of his love in the heart, with sure and blessed peace in the conscience. They that rightly look unto Jesus, may say, as Jacob did, "I have enough."
4. That Christ gives glory unto them; "he is the glory of Israel," Luke ii. 32. He is both the author and matter of their glory; he is the glory of their justification, as the garment is the glory of him that wears it; he is the glory of their redemption, as the ransomer is the glory of the captive: he is the glory of their sanctification, as Jordan cleansing him from his leprosy was the glory of Naaman; he is their all in all, in whom they glory, and "to whom they give all honour, and glory, and power, and praise," 2 Cor. v. 19.
5. That Christ gives peace unto them, "God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself," he is the Author, and the world is the object of this reconciliation, Christ is our peace: and peace is preached by Jesus Christ, Eph. ii. 14. they that hear Christ in the word, or that look unto Christ by the eye of faith, they have this peace. Acts x. 36. for Christ only in ordinance is the revealer, and procurer, and the worker of peace in all the children of peace.
6. That Christ procures acceptation with God for them; he stands betwixt God and such believers; and as they mind him, so he is ever mindful of them, pleading their cause, answering all the accusations of Satan, and praying to his Father in their behalf.
7. That Christ gives life unto them, "Pie that hath the Son hath life," 1 John v. 2 , He that hath Christ in his heart as a root of life living in him, or as a king setting up his throne within him, or as a bridegroom betrothing himself in loving kindness to him, he hath life, the life of grace, and the earnest of the life of glory.
8. That Christ gives wisdom unto them, "Christ hath in him all the treasures of wisdom," and therefore he that looks most to Christ, is the wisest man in the world; he that hath the sun, hath more light than he that hath all other lights in the world, and wants the sun.
9. That Christ gives a taste of his goodness unto them. They cannot look unto him, but he makes them joyful with the feeling of himself and Spirit; and hence it is that many times they break out into "psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs, and make melody in their hearts unto the Lord," Eph. v. 1 9 . O there is a goodness of illumination, regeneration, sanctification, consolation, contentation, pacification, and spiritual freedom flowing from Christ to the souls of his saints, which to carnal men is a sealed well, whose waters their palates never tasted.
10. That Christ gives a sincere and inward love of himself unto their hearts. No sooner is their eye of faith of looking unto Jesus but presently their heart is all on fire. Such a suitableness is betwixt Christ and their souls, as is betwixt the hearts of lovers; their love to Christ is like the love of Jonathan to David, a wonderful love, and "passing the love of women," 2 Sam. i. 26 . They love him as the bridegroom to whom their souls are married, as the choicest pearl by whom they are enriched, as the sun of consolation, by whose beams their souls are comforted, as the fountain by whom their hearts are refreshed, and their desires every way satisfied.
11. That Christ gives the sense of his own love to them; they cannot look on Christ but they see him loving, and embracing their humble souls: they see him binding up their broken hearts : they behold him gathering to himself, and bearing in the bosom of his love, and comforting with the promises of his word their wounded spirits: they behold, him like Jacob, serving in the beat and in the cold for Rachel; serving in manifold afflictions, from his cradel to his cross, to make a spouse unto himself.
12. That Christ gives the experience of his power to them. They that look on Christ, do feel the power of Christ inwardly in their souls dissolving the works of Satan, casting down his kingdom, and mighty holds with in them, healing all their spiritual maladies, sustaining them in all afflictions, filling their souls with all spiritual and heavenly might, making them strong in knowledge, and strong in faith, and strong in love, and strong in motion, and coming to Christ, as a river of much waters is strong in coming home to the ocean.
13. That Christ gives the sense of his own worth and excellency unto them, they see now in Christ is wisdom surpassing the brightness of the sun, even all the treasures of wisdom; in Christ is power excelling the strength of rocks, he is not only strong, but strength itself; in Christ is honour transcending all the kings of the earth, for he is "King of kings, and Lord of lords in Christ is beauty excelling the rose of Sharon, and lily of the valley; he is fairer than all the flowers of the field, than all the precious stones of the earth, than all the lights in the firmament, than all the saints and angels in the highest heavens.
14. That Christ gives the sense of their wants, and of the world's vanity, and of his suitable goodness unto them. In looking unto Jesus, they see themselves in themselves miserable, and all other things miserable comforters : they have learned the meaning of that Psalm, "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the Son of man, in whom there is no help, his breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth: in that very day his thoughts perish. Happy is the man that hath the God of Jacob for his God, whose hope is in the Lord his God," Psal. cxlvi. 3, 4.
15. That Christ gives all things, every thing unto them. All things are yours (saith the apostle) whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours; and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's, 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. All things are yours;
(a). All the ministers of Christ from the highest to the lowest, "whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas they are your servants; they are men that watch over you for your salvation.
(b). The world is yours; Indeed the world stands but for your sakes, if your number were but once completed, quickly would the world be set on fire. You will say. Ay! but how is the world ours? We find not this, for who hath the world at will? Why, though you have not, yet the misery you find in the world, the want of wealth, as well as the enjoying of it is yours, (i.e.) it tends to your advantage.
(c). Life is yours. It is a fitting, a preparing, a squaring of you for better life, even for eternity.
(d). "Death is yours" for you shall die just then when it is best for you, death shall serve but as a servant to your advantage.
(e). "Things present, and things to come are yours; godliness hath the promise of this life, and of that which is to come." 1 Tim. iv. 8.
(f). I will add, the Lord himself is yours. Take God, and look on him in his greatness, in his mighty power, even this great .God, the Lord of heaven and earth is yours, he is yours, and all that he hath is yours, and all that he doth is yours, and all that he can do is yours, "I will be thine, (saith God to Abraham). And I will be to thee an exceeding great reward," Gen. xv. 1. Here is a catalogue, an inventory of a Christian's riches; have Christ, and have all. When a Heathen was but asked, where all his treasure was, he answered, C6 Where Cyrus my friend is," And if any ask you, where all your treasure is, you may answer, "Where Christ your friend is." In tills respect you may truly say. There is no end of your riches, they are called "the unsearchable riches of Christ," Ephes. iii. 8. Paul could find no bottom of these riches; O who would not look unto Jesus? If Christ be yours (besides those particulars enumerated in this text, 1 Cor. iii. 22, 28.) God is yours, the Father is yours, the Son is yours, the Spirit is yours, ah the promises are yours, for in Christ they are all made, and for him they shall be performed. Come, let the proud man boast in his honour, and the mighty man is his valour, and the rich man in his wealth, but let the Christian pronounce himself happy, only happy, truly happy, fully happy in beholding Christ, enjoying Christ, having Christ, in looking unto Jesus.
You have the motives of our wants in case of neglect; and of our riches in case we are active, frequent, serious, and lively in this duty. But for our further encouragement to fall upon it, I shall add a few motives more.