Sermon I. A vision of unchangeable, free mercy, in sending the means of grace to undeserving sinners.
“And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.” — Acts xvi. 9.
The kingdom of Jesus Christ is frequently in the Scripture compared to growing things,1 — small in the beginning and first appearance, but increasing by degrees unto glory and perfection. The shapeless stone2 cut out without hands, having neither form nor desirable beauty given unto it, becomes a great mountain, filling the whole earth, Dan. ii. 35. The small vine brought out of Egypt quickly covers the hills with her shadow, — her boughs reach unto the sea, and her branches unto the river, Ps. lxxx. 8. The tender plant3 becomes as the cedars of God; and the grain of mustard-seed to be a tree for the fowls of the air to make their nests in the branches thereof. Mountains are made plains before it, every valley is filled, and the crooked paths made straight, that it may have a passage to its appointed period; — and all this, not only not supported by outward advantages, but in direct opposition to the combined power4 of this whole creation, as fallen and in subjection to the “god of this world,” the head thereof. As Christ was “a tender plant,”5 seemingly easy to be broken; and “a root out of a dry ground,” not easily flourishing, yet liveth for ever;6 so his people and kingdom, — though as a “lily among thorns,”7 as “sheep among wolves,”8 as a “turtledove” among a multitude of devourers,9 — yet stands unshaken, at least unshivered.
The main ground and foundation of all this is laid out, verses 6–9 of this chapter, — containing a rich discovery how all things here below, especially such as concern the gospel and Church of Christ, are carried along through innumerable varieties and a world of contingencies, according to the regular motions and goings forth of a free, eternal, unchangeable decree: as all inferior orbs, notwithstanding the eccentrics and irregularities of their own inhabitants, are orderly carried about by the first Mover.
In verse 6, the planters of the gospel are “forbidden to preach the word in Asia”10 (that part of it peculiarly so called); and, verse 7, assaying to go with the same message into Bithynia, they are crossed by the Spirit in their attempts; but in my text are called to a place on which their thoughts were not at all fixed:— which calling and which forbidding were both subservient to His free determination “who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will,” Eph. i. 11.
And no doubt but, in the dispensation of the gospel throughout the world, unto this day, there is the like conformity to be found to the pattern of God’s eternal decrees; though to the messengers not made known aforehand by revelation, but discovered in the effects, by the mighty working of Providence.
Amongst other nations, this is the day of England’s visitation, “the Dayspring from on high” having visited this people, and “the Sun of righteousness” arising upon us “with healing in his wings;”11 — a man of England hath prevailed for assistance, and the free grace of God hath wrought us help by the gospel.