"THE CHIEFEST AMONG TEN THOUSAND."
BY RICHARD SIBBES, PURITAN MINISTER.
Let us who profess that we are in Christ, and are joined to him who is thus excellent, make it our great concern that he be the rule of our choice in other things. In the choice of friends, choose such as are friends to Christ. Take heed of society with idolaters, or with profane, wretched persons. Let us join with none but those with whom we may enjoy Christ. So in marriage; let the rule of choice be the love of Christ. Also, let the measure of our respect to all things be in unison with our respect to Christ. Let us measure our love to wife and children, to kindred, friends, and to all creatures whatever, as it may stand with love to Christ. Obey in the Lord, marry in the Lord, do all things in the Lord, as may stand with his love and obedience to the revelation of his will.
1. Let us enter into serious consideration of the need we have of Christ, of our misery without him, of our happiness if we are joined to him. The soul being convinced of this, the affections must needs follow the sanctified judgment. If Christ has the highest place in our hearts, and we crown him there "King of kings and Lord of lords," in a hearty submitting of all the affections of the soul to him, sin, discomfort, and despair cannot, while we are in this frame, move us. What are all the honours, pleasures, and profits gained by basely yielding to the humours of men, when compared to Christ? The soul possessed of Christ and of his excellences disdains everything set in competition with him.
2. It stands firm against all discouragements whatever; for it Bets Christ against all, who is "the Chief of ten thousand." The soul, in this case, will set Christ against the anger and wrath of God against Satan, and all our spiritual enemies. Christ is the angel of the covenant. Satan is a lion, a roaring Lion; Christ the lion of the tribe of Judah. Satan a serpent, a dragon; but Christ, the true brazen serpent, the very looking upon whom will take away all the stings and fiery darts of Satan. Therefore it is said, (1 John v. 4,) faith is it that "overcomes the world." How does it overcome the world? By its overcoming all things in the world; on the right hand, pleasures, and profits, and honours; and on the left hand, threatenings, pains, losses, and disgraces, by setting Christ against all.
3. If we would have a right judgment and esteem of Christ, let us labour to wean our affections, as much as may be, from other things. Fleshly hearts so deeply run into the world and vanities of the present life, it is as difficult a task for them to be drawn away and pulled from the world as a child from a full breast, having sucked from it so long.
4. If we would highly value Christ, beg of God a spirit that we may judge aright of our corruptions; for in what measure we can discern the height, and breadth, and depth of our corrupt nature, in that measure shall we judge of the height, and breadth, and depth of the excellence of Christ. The sweetest souls are the most humble souls. Those who love Christ most are those who have been stung most with the sense of their sins. Where sin most abounds in the sense and feeling of it, grace much more abounds in the sense and feeling of that. Did ever soul love Christ more than that woman who had so many devils cast out of her? (Luke viii. 2.) Or than Paul, who had such great sins forgiven him? These two go always with the true church; viz., the true knowledge of the corruption of nature, and misery by reason of it; and the true sense and feeling of it, with true and hearty sorrow for it, &c. In Popery they slight original sin; that mother, breeding sin. Actual sins be venial, and many sins no sins. Therefore they esteem Christ so slightly; they join saints, the Pope, works, and satisfaction together with him. Because they know not the depths of the malady, how black sin is, what a cursed state we are in by nature, they think slightly and lightly of sin; so they have an.ewerably weak and shallow esteem of Christ, of his righteousness and excellence. The conviction of sin goes before the conviction of righteousness in Christ; as it is said, the Holy Ghost shall convince the world of sin, and then of righteousness. For except the soul is convinced of sin, and of evil in itself, it will never be truly convinced of holiness and of righteousness in Christ.
The passover was always eaten with bitter herbs, to add a relish to the feast. So Christ, the true Passover, is never truly relished without bitter herbs, the consideration of sin and its desert. Christ savours otherwise to a man humbled for his sins than to one untouched therewith; otherwise to a man poor in spirit than to the self-sufficient; otherwise to a man afflicted in providence than to one living in ease and affluence. One savoury discourse of Christ relishes more to an afflicted soul than seven do with such as are drunk with prosperity; they have not an appetite for heavenly things.
Why do we, therefore, murmur at the cross, when all is to recover our spiritual taste and relish? Solomon had lost his taste and relish of Christ. He made not his Song of Songs when he followed his course of idolatry; nor was he so in love with Christ and his excellences while doting so much upon his wives. No; but once, when he had recovered his spirit, taste, and relish of heavenly things, then made he the book, of the Preacher. When he had proved a variety of things, and saw all to be nothing but vexation of spirit, and vanity besides, then the verdict he passed on all was, that they were vanity. So it is with us; we can hardly prize Christ without some affliction, some cross or other. Here the church is fain to endure a spiritual desertion, to set an edge on her affections. Now, when she is thus deserted, "Christ is white and ruddy, the chief of ten thousand."
We value more, and set a higher price on things in the want of them, such is our corruption, than in the enjoyment of them. And if God remember us not with affliction, then let us afflict, humble, and judge ourselves; enter into our own souls, to view how we stand affected to Christ, to heaven, and heavenly things. How do I relish and esteem them? If I have lost my esteem and valuing highly of them, where have I lost it? Consider in what sin, in what pleasure, in what company I lost it; and converse no more with such as dull our affections to heavenly things.
5. Let us make use, likewise, of our infirmities and sins to this purpose, to set a high price on the excellences of Christ. We carry about us always infirmities and corruptions. What w shall we make of them? Not to trust to our own righteousness, which is as "a defiled cloth," (Isa. lxiv. 6,) but fly to Christ's righteousness, which is the righteousness of God-man, all being as dung and dross in regard of that. Often think with thyself, What am I? A poor sinful creature; but I have a righteousness in Christ that answers all. I am weak in myself; but Christ is strong, and I am strong in him. I am foolish in myself, but I am wise in him. What I want in myself, I have in him. He is mine, and his righteousness is mine. Being clothed with this, I stand safe against conscience, hell, wrath, and whatsoever. Though I have daily experience of my sins, yet there is more righteousness in Christ, who is mine, and who is the Chief of ten thousand, than there is sin in me. When thus we shall know Christ, then we shall know him to purpose.
