Sermon XVIII.1
3. We are not to be ashamed of the professors of the gospel. Our Lord Christ hath laid it down as an everlasting rule, that in them he is honoured or dishonoured in the world. And it is the great rule whereby false professors will be tried at the last day, — men who pretend a profession of the name of Christ; as you may see, Matt. xxv. 40, 45, “What you have done unto them, you have done unto me,” saith he; “and what you have omitted that ought to have been done to them, you have omitted the doing of it unto me.” It is those alone in whom Christ may be honoured or despised in this world; for he is in himself, in his own person, in that condition that our goodness, our honour, extends not immediately unto him: and for the contempt and despising of men, he is not concerned in it. Hence this is reckoned as the great commendation of the faith of Moses, Heb. xi. 23–26, that he refused all the honours of the world, and all the reputation he might have had, to own and esteem the poor, reproached, despised, persecuted interest of Christ in the world; as he there calls it. He joined himself unto the professors of the faith, in opposition to all the world, and the greatness of it; which was his greatest commendation. And see the pathetical prayer of the apostle Paul for Onesiphorus upon the discharge of this duty, 2 Tim. i. 16–18, “The Lord,” saith he, “give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: but, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day.” Onesiphorus was a man of some credit and repute in the world; poor Paul was a prisoner bound with a chain, that he might have been ashamed to own him: but, instead of that, he sought him out; he was not ashamed of his chain. To be ashamed of the poor professors of the gospel, — so in themselves, or made so by the power of oppressors, — is to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ, his truths, his worship, and his people.
4. There is a special kind of profession, that, in its own nature, is exposed to reproach in the world. The apostle Paul tells us, 2 Tim. iii. 12, “They that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” There is (John xv. 4, 5) a being in Christ by profession, and not living godly: for there are branches in the vine by profession, that bring forth no fruit; — men that have a profession wherewith they do not trouble the world, and for which the world will not trouble them; — that can go to that length in compliance with the world, and the ways of it, as that they shall not have one drop of the spirit of the witnesses of Christ, who torment the men of the earth. But “they that will live godly,” — that is, engage in a profession that shall, upon all occasions, and in all instances, manifest the power of it, — they “shall suffer persecution.” We see many every day keep up a profession, but such a profession as will not provoke the world. Now, this is to be ashamed of the gospel, — to be ashamed of the power and glory of it, — to be ashamed of the Author of it. No man can put Jesus Christ to greater shame, than by professing the gospel without showing the power of it.
III.2 I shall now give the reasons why we ought not in any thing to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. I speak unto persons that are under a conviction that such and such things belong unto the gospel. If we are not, what makes us here this day? I do not go to persuade any that this or that worship, or this or that way, is according to the gospel; but I suppose a conviction thereof to be upon us: upon a supposition of which conviction and persuasion I shall offer these reasons why we ought not to be ashamed of the gospel. And, —
1. The first is this:— Because Christ, the captain of our salvation, and the great example of our obedience, was not ashamed of all that he had to undergo for us.
There are two things that greatly aggravate things shameful, and press, if possible, shame upon a person:—
(1.) The dignity of the person that is exposed to things shameful. It is more for a person honourable, noble, and in repute for wisdom in the world, to be exposed to indignities, reproaches, and things shameful, as the apostle speaks, than for beggars, — poor vile persons of no repute. Now, consider the person of Christ, who he was, and what he was. He was the eternal Son of God, the “first-born of the whole creation:” and as, in his divine nature, he was “the express” (the essential) “image of the Father;” so in his whole person, as incarnate, he was the glory of all the works of God. And the apostle, when he would set out the great condescension of Christ in submitting unto things shameful, doth at the same time describe the greatness and glory of his person, Phil. ii. 6–8, “He made himself,” says he, “of no reputation; he took upon him the form of a servant, and he was obedient unto the death of the cross;” which three things, as could show you, are comprehensive of all that was shameful to Christ. But at the same time that he tells us what he did, how doth he describe him? When he did so, he was “in the form of God, and accounted it no robbery to be equal with God.” He was the great God in his own person, and equal with the Father; yet then this honourable one condescended to all things shameful and reproachful in the world.