Christ: The Way, the Truth, and the LifeBrown, John
Religion
Christ: The Way, the Truth, and the Life
Brown, John
Bible. John XIV, 6 -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.; Jesus Christ; Justification (Christian theology); Sanctification
In such a case as this is, there is ground for a poor soul to make use
of Christ for outgate; and an outgate may be had in God's time, and as
he seeth fit, by a right use-making of and going out to him, who is the
Truth. So, then, the soul that would have its state and condition
cleared up, and a discovery of its being reconciled to God through
Jesus, and in a state of grace, and would make use of Christ as the
Truth, for this end, would,
(1.) Look out to Christ, as a feeling High Priest, faithful and
merciful, who, being like us in all things, except sin, doth sympathise
with, and succour such as are tempted, Heb. ii. 17, 18. And as a Priest,
"that is touched with the feeling of our infirmities," Heb. iv. 15.
Albeit Christ, in the deepest of his darkness, was never made to
question his Sonship, but avouched God to be his God even when he was
forsaken, Psalm xxii. 1. Matt, xxvii. 46. Mark xv. 34. Yet he knew what
it was to be tempted, to question his Sonship, when the devil said unto
him, Matt. iv. 3, "If thou be the Son of God;" and he knows what such a
distress as he himself was into, wrestling with an angry God, hiding
himself and forsaking, will work in a poor sinner; and being a merciful
and sympathising High Priest, he cannot but pity such as are under such
a distemper, and, as a gracious Head, sympathise with them. Now, the
believer would look out to him as such an one, and upon this ground go
to him with confidence and boldness, and lay out their case before him,
that he may help and send relief:
(2.) They would also eye Christ as able to save out of that condition,
and to command light to shine out of darkness; and so, as one "able to
save to the uttermost all that come to God through him," Heb. vii. 25.
(3.) And not only so, but eye him also as given, sent, and commissioned
of the Father, to be a light to such as sit in darkness; even to the
Gentile. Isa. xlii. 6, and xlix. 6. Luke ii. 32. Acts xiii. 47; xxvi.
23. John viii. 12; and this will encourage the poor souls to go out to
him with their darkness, when they see that he is sent as a Light and as
the Truth, to clear up poor souls that walk in darkness and have no
light. When they see that it is his place and office to help them, and
consider that he is true to his trust, and true and faithful in all that
was committed to him, it not only will embolden them to come forward to
him, but it will strengthen their hope, and encourage them to wait on.
(4.) They would stay themselves on him as an all-sufficient helper,
renouncing all other, crying out, that they will have no light but his
light, and that they will seek no where else for light, but wait at his
door, till he, who is the Sun of Righteousness, shall arise in their
soul, and come with healing light in his wings.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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