643. PSA 110:3. THE WILLING CHURCH

Psa_110:3. The Willing Church

"Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth."’97Psa_110:3.

This psalm contains one beautiful and continuous prophecy of the person, work, and kingdom of the Messiah. The text evidently refers to Christ subsequent to his resurrection. It begins with the authoritative yet gracious mandate of Jehovah, "Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." This seems to be a direct reply to Christ’s sacerdotal prayer’97"Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee," Joh_17:1. "I have glorified thee on the earth," &c., Joh_17:4. God replies to the prayers of his Son,’97"Thy engagements have been faithfully executed, thy humiliation is past, thy sufferings are over; thou hast redeemed a fallen world to thyself: thou hast a right to reign."

The prophecy then reveals the means by which his kingdom is to be set up, and his triumph effected:’97"The Lord shall send the rod of his strength." Here is a manifest reference to the gospel. It coincides with the apostle’s description, "The power of God unto salvation," Rom_1:16. It is to be sent "out of Zion." The gospel is to be first preached at Jerusalem, and to go forth from thence to all the nations. "Thus it was written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer," &c., Luk_24:46.

Then the immediate results of preaching the gospel are brought before us. "Rule thou"’97or, thou shalt rule’97"in the midst of thine enemies." And so it was in the city of Christ’s death, his kingdom was set up. In the city where dwelt Pilate, the high priests, the council, the soldiers, and the people, he began his gracious triumphs. Then follows our text. "Thy people"’97those who are subjugated by the power of thy gospel, who bow down before the sceptre of thy grace, they "shall be willing;" or, "they shall be volunteers;" or, as in the margin of some Bibles, "A people of willingness." They shall devote themselves to thy cause. They shall be thy cheerful, and faithful, and uncompromising followers and friends. And "in the beauties of holiness," or arrayed in holy vestments, they shall appear as a "holy nation," a "royal priesthood;" clothed in the garments of salvation, they shall adorn their profession, and show forth thy praise. Also, in point of number, they shall appear as the dew-drops of the morning; and that, too, in thy youth, or in the beginning of thy conquests, or as soon as thy dominion is established in the world. How literally was all this accomplished. The first converts, clothed in the habiliments of gospel purity, gave themselves fully to the Lord; and by two sermons of the apostle Peter, on the opening of the kingdom of heaven, five thousand souls were converted, and everywhere the "word of the Lord ran and was glorified." Such we conceive to be the spirit and meaning of the text. Now, we cannot dwell on all the points which the text contains. For instance, in fully elucidating the text, we might dwell on the beauty and propriety of the figure, wherein the gospel dispensation is likened to a "day"’97to "Christ’s day"’97the "day of Christ’s power;" that is, of his royal authority, of his right to reign and rule, and sway over all the earth, the sceptre of his truth and love. But we wish to confine ourselves to two things:

I. To the devotedness of the Church.

II. The connection between such devotedness and the spread of the gospel and kingdom of Christ.

I. To the devotedness of the Church.

I do not pass over the holy vestments of the people of God as of minor importance; but because we are now speaking only of the spiritual members of Christ’s body, we only design our remarks to bear on those who are renewed in their minds, and who are professedly partakers of the Divine nature, and in heart and conversation are holy to the Lord. Such, in reality, are the Church of Christ, and such only. These are "Christ’s people," and these are the cheerful volunteers and consecrated followers of the Lamb. Observe, then,

1. The extent of the willingness, or the devotedness of the Church.

It clearly involves the devotedness of themselves’97their hearts, souls, minds, and bodies. "I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies," &c., Rom_12:1. It is to give our approbation, our esteem, and our love to Christ. It is to give him our desires, our joys, and our delights; our thoughts, our admiration, and our praise; our conversation, and loyal obedience to his commands. It is to place his interests and claims first and highest. It is to speak and act, to eat and drink, to move and live, so as to glorify him. It is to recognize his will as our only rule’97his commands as our one directory. Now, is this beyond Christ’s claims? And when this, all this, is yielded, can any thing else be withheld? Can talents, however splendid? Can powers, however mighty? Can influence, however extensive? Can wealth, however ample? If we have given Christ our souls, our entire selves, without reservation, shall we not be ready for health or sickness, for riches or poverty, for freedom or bonds, for life or death; for any thing to suffer or do, which he requireth of us? We see that devoted ness to this extent, yea, and beyond all we can say or even conjecture, was yielded by the, early disciples, the first churches of Christ. Consider,

2. The principle of such devotedness.

This is one simple element’97not miraculous influences, or gifts; but the indwelling, operative love of Christ. The language of the apostle was the language of every disciple. Wherefore do we abandon the faith of pur fathers? Wherefore become the followers of the slandered malefactor? &c. Wherefore give up ease and wealth, liberty and life? "The love of Christ constraineth us," 2Co_5:14. It has claims which these have not, and bears us away above all these things. It fills, it captivates, it absorbs our souls. Love so divine, so heavenly, so expensive to its Author, so inexpressibly precious, constrains us. It expands; it causeth us to appear as fools to the world,’97as beside ourselves. Oh, yes! This is the principle of true devotedness. Nothing else will accomplish this; this has done it; it cannot fail to do it. This is the hallowed fire which burns up the dross of selfishness; this the hallowed flame, which changes all into its own nature and element. This is the deep and rapid stream which fills the channel of the soul, and sweeps all before it, and bears the man onward to the ocean of eternal love. The Christian exclaims, "I love him, I love his cause, and his gospel, his people, and the whole world, because he first loved me, and because his love is shed abroad in my heart," &c. Consider, 3. How this devotedness is to be sustained.

I need not say it will be tried. Our hearts will try and resist, or be indolent. The world will try it, by its fascinations, its maxims; and Satan, too, will try it, and, if possible, suspend or weaken it. Formalists, too, will say, "Be not righteous overmuch; be prudent’97be moderate!" All these will try it. How is it to be sustained? By faith and hope in the glories of a blissful immortality. Was it not that which sustained the devotedness of Moses, of the prophets, of the apostles, of the early Christians? The apostle, while looking on the retrospect, exclaimed, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing," 2Ti_4:7. The primitive saints were so indifferent to the world, because they were seeking a better country; to their homes, because they had titles to heavenly mansions; to their friends, because they had their chief Friend in heaven; to riches, because of the grandeur of their estate in glory; to life, because of the better resurrection to immortality beyond the grave. Oh! this devotedness may and will be sustained by keeping the eye of faith on the goal, on the prize, on heaven, and walking as on the precincts of eternity every day.

4. By whom should this devotedness be evinced?

By every minister of Jesus Christ; by every elder and deacon; by every sabbath-school teacher, and tract distributer; by every parent; by all the young men of Christ’s sacred army;’97yea, in one word, by every Christian! This devotedness must be the rule and spirit of the Church’97of the whole Church of the Redeemer; and then, and not till then, will the truth spread generally, and mightily prevail. But we pass on to notice,

II. The connection between such devotedness, and the spread of the gospel and kingdom of Christ.

1. The instrumentality for spreading the gospel, and extending the kingdom of Christ, is committed to the Church.

The world can only be evangelized by the truth. The gospel must be preached in all the world, and to every creature, Mar_16:15. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved," Rom_10:13; Act_2:21. Now, the Church has the gospel in trust for the benefit of the world. Bearing this standard, they are to extend Christ’s dominions, and give to him a people out of every nation. This is the work of the Church in her collective capacity, and of each member. "Ye are the salt of the earth."’97"Ye are the light of the world," Mat_5:13, Mat_5:14.

2. In proportion to the Church’s devotedness will the cause of Christ prevail.

Look at the apostolic age. Look at the three earliest centuries. Look at the reformation in our land, in the days of Wesley and Whitefield. Look at churches where there is this devotedness in our own day, and the results are invariably the same. Means are established in the kingdom of grace, as in the kingdom of nature. If our brethren had not gone to India, &c., we should not have had converted Brahmins now preaching, &c. And if the churches had not felt, and devoted their property, too, the missionaries had not gone. Look at the dark ages, when the Church was corrupt and faithless, and see the results. Look at churches where there is coldness, avarice, and self; and see what is their condition!

3. This devotedness of the Church is indispensably necessary to this end, and nothing else is so necessary as this.

When we look at the world, and see what is requisite for its salvation, where do we begin? With God; with the sacrifice of Christ; with the Holy Spirit; with the gospel. Can you believe any supposable blame rests here? Is there as much piety in our churches’97as much zeal’97as much love’97as much liberality, as God demands? Is the talent and wealth of Christ’s professing people given to him? No; not a tithe of it; not so much as God demanded for the Jewish priesthood. Oh, how unlike the first disciples! We are not willing, not fully, not cheerfully, not entirely. If the Church be not faithful in this matter, who shall accomplish this end? Eminent holiness is all-important; but can it exist without this devoted ness? We remark,

1. Let the unwillingness of the church be the subject of solemn reflection.

I do not say of prayer so much, because the great defect is not there. Christians pray (I do not say enough), but much better than they act. Do not pray less, but act more in accordance with your prayers. Pray not less, but differently; so as not to lay the blame with God. Do not speak and pray as though you wanted souls to be saved, and that God was reluctant; that you desired the gospel to be sent everywhere, but that God did not. Do not pray as if you would arouse Jehovah, but yourselves. Be willing, and every thing shall be effected. Be willing, and every church shall thrust out her sons into the harvest. Be willing, and the converts of our churches, both at home and abroad, shall be as the dew-drops of the morning.

2. To the unconverted the gospel of the kingdom of Jesus is now come,

Jesus seeks your return to loyal obedience. He asks your heart’s affection, your spirit’s devoteduess, and your live’s obedience. He asks all on the ground of his love to you. Will you bow to the sceptre of his grace? His arms and heart are both open to receive you’97

"Oh that my Jesus’ heavenly charms

Might every bosom move;

Fly, sinners, fly into those arms

Of everlasting love!"

Autor: JABEZ BURNS