5. Faith is necessary, that we may have the comfort of our shadow ; for we make use of Christ by faith. There are three acts of faith — (1.) They choose, consent, and own Christ as the only shadow ; (2.) They earnestly run to it ; (3.) Compose and quiet their hearts under it. For some make this sitting down as an act of spiritual desire ; as Junius, Summe desidcro ut sedeam — I earnestly desire that I may sit down. Some as an act of spiritual delight ; as onr translation, ' I sat down with great delight.' However, both are implied.
[1.] Here is a choice and owning of Christ as the only shadow against wrath. They that would find Christ a shadow must use him and employ him to that end ; as Ps. xci. 1, * He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." The qualification and the promise is the same. What is abiding in the shadow of the Almighty but dwelling in the secret place of the Most High? God is to his people what they take him to be. Dwell in God, and you shall dwell in God. If you will take God to be what he ofFereth himself to be, and hath promised to be, you will find him actually and indeed to be so when need shall require, and you make use of him to that end. So delight is rewarded with delight, Isa. Iviii. 13, 14; and courage and strength of heart with strength of henrt, Ps. xxvii. 14, and Ps. xxxi. 24; for Godloveth to make good the undertaking of faith, and will every way answer iiis people's ex- pectations. If God hath set forth Cluist to be a propitiation, a screen between you and wrath, use him as such ; run to your spiritual apple- tree. Surely Chi-ist can only shelter us from the wrath of God ; and
362 SERMONS ON THE SACRAMENTS;
faith, which maketh use of Chiist to this end, can only give us an in- terest in this benefit :. Ps. ii. 12, ' If his anger be but kindled a little, blessed are they that trust in him/ Deliverance from wrath is the fruit of embracing Christ, or closing in covenant with him ; those that betake and apply themselves to him as their only refuge and safety. A carnal man is to seek ; in the midst of all his worldly comforts he hath not a true shadow or a true place of retreat from the heat of God's wi-ath. When God frowneth they know not whither to go. If God let loose conscience or Satan against them, all worldly comforts are soon dried U]x Wealth, honour, riches will not stead them in the day of wrath, Prov. xi. 4 ; much more when he summoneth them into his pre- sence : Pe\'. vi. 16, ' They shall call to the mountains, and say, Fall on us, and hide us from the wrath of him that sitteth on the throne/ Oh ! what would they give then for a shelter !
[2.] This work must not be done sleepily, but in the greatest ear- nest. Tiie original phrase expresseth a vehemency of desire of this shadow to overshadow them. Such a desire should we have after Christ and his righteousness. Oh ! that I might be found in him ! And all is nothing to this, that I may gain Christ, Phil. iii. 8.
[3.] This sitting down with great delight noteth the composing and quieting the soul in Christ. Here they have ease and rest when once gotten to sit down under his shadow. So that it is not a bare choice, but such as is accompanied with desire and delight.
6, They meet not only with coolness, but fruit ; as an apple under an apple-tree to one that sits under its shadow in a great heat. Christ yieldeth not only a comfortable shadow to believers, but also pleasant fruit. We are not only sheltered from wrath, but we may take and eat the apples of paradise. The mercies of the covenant are not only privative, but positive, Ps. Ixxxiv. 11, and Gen. xv. 1. Tiiere is .shadow on a fir-tree, but fruit on an apple-tree. The returning pro- digal desired only to be accepted into the family, to be made an hired servant, to be kept from perishing ; but the father maketh a feast, Luke XV, It was as much as our thoughts could reach to, to be de- livered from hell and wrath to come ; but God will give abundance of grace, and the gift of righteousness by Christ Jesus, Rom, v, 15. We shall not only enjoy his shadow, but taste his fruit.
Secondly, My next inquiry is, what these fruits are ? They are the benefits and the privileges which we have by Christ. Mark, here is — (1.) Fruit ; (2.) His fruit ; (3.) Sweet to our taste.
1. Here is fruit. Christ received of the Father the fulness of power and of the Spirit for the benefit of the redeemed, that he might shower down the streams of grace on all that repair to him for relief and succour. Now what these fruits are —
[1,] In the general, we may tell you, all that is worth the having we liave from Jesus Christ ; all the blessings of this present life and of the world to come: 1 Cor, iii. 21-23, 'AH things are yours, because you are Christ, and Christ is God's,' We lost our right to all by sin, and Christ came to restore all to us, ordinances, providences, heaven, happiness, and death, as the couple between the worlds. AH things that concern life natural : Eom. viii. 32, ' If God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also