John Owen · 46 of 157

Sermon VI. Isaiah lvi. 7. · Part 1

Sermon VI. The branch of the Lord the beauty of Zion: or, the glory of the church in its relation unto Christ.

“For mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.” Isa. lvi. 7.

From verse 3 of this chapter to verse 8, you have promises and predictions of calling in Gentiles and strangers to the church of God, notwithstanding any objections or hindrances laid in their way by ceremonial and typical constitutions, — they being all to be removed in the cross of Christ, Eph. ii. 13–16; Col. ii. 14; — making way for the accomplishment of that signal promise which is given in the 2d chapter of this prophecy, verses 2, 3, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it: and many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up,” etc.

The words of verse 7 are a recapitulation of the whole, holding out summarily the calling of the Gentiles to the holy mount, or spiritual church of Christ; where also you have a description of the services performed by them upon their coming: “Their burnt-offerings and sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar;” — answerable to that eminent prediction of the solemn worship of the called Gentiles, Mal. i. 11, “For from the rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts.” The spiritual services of the saints of the Gentiles are in each place set forth by those ceremonial ordinances of incense, altar, and sacrifice, as were then most acceptable, from the Lord’s own appointment.

Now, this whole promise is once again strengthened, without loss of life or beauty, and comprised in the words of the text. That which before he termed “sacrifice and burnt-offerings,” here he calleth “prayer;” and those who before were “the sons of the stranger,” are here “all people,” — some, many of all sorts, the whole world, all men, without distinction, the partition wall being broken down.

The thing here spoken of is God’s house, described, — First, By its appropriation unto him; it is his peculiar, — “My house.” Secondly, By its extent of receipt in respect of others; it is “for all people.” Thirdly, By the employment of its inhabitants; that is, prayer, — it “shall be called an house of prayer.”

“House” here may be taken two ways.

1. Properly, as it was in the type for the material temple at Jerusalem; whereunto these words are applied by our Saviour, Matt. xxi. But that is no farther concerned herein, but as the spiritual holiness of the antitype could not be represented without a ceremonial holiness of the type.

2. Spiritually, for the church of Christ to be gathered to him out of all nations; the house wherein “juge sacrificium,” a continual spiritual sacrifice, is to be offered to him: this is peculiarly intended.

So, then, observe, — I. Christ’s church of saints, of believers, is God’s house. II. The church of Christ under the gospel is to be gathered out of all nations. III. There are established ordinances and appointed worship for the church of Christ under the gospel. It is the first that I shall speak unto.

Christ’s church of saints, of believers, is God’s house.

That his church is of saints and believers will appear in the issue.

By the church of Christ I understand, primarily, the whole multitude of them who antecedently are chosen of his Father, and given unto him; consequently, are redeemed, called, and justified in his blood; — the church which he loved, and gave himself for, “that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word; that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish,” Eph. v. 26, 27. And, secondarily, also every holy assembly of mount Zion, whereunto the Lord Christ is made beauty and glory, — every particular church of his saints, inasmuch as they partake of the nature of the whole, being purchased by his blood, Acts xx. 28.

That this church belongs unto God, I shall only leave evidenced under the claim whereby he here appropriates it to himself; he calls it his: “My house.”

That it is his house, I shall farther demonstrate. Three things are required to the making of a house:— first, A foundation; secondly, Materials for a superstruction; thirdly, An orderly framing of both into a useful building; — and all these concur to the church of Christ.

First. It hath a foundation. “I have laid the foundation,” saith Paul, 1 Cor. iii. 10; and, “Other foundation can no man lay, save that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ,” verse 11. That which Paul laid ministerially, God himself laid primarily and efficiently. “Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation,” Isa. xxviii. 16. Now, this foundation is no other but the rock upon which the church is built, Matt. xvi. 18, which makes it impregnable to the gates of hell, communicating strength and permanency continually to every part of the building.

Secondly. A foundation only will not make a house, — there must also be materials for a superstruction. Those you have, 1 Pet. ii. 5. “Ye are,” saith he, “lively stones.” All God’s elect are stones, in due time to be hewed and fitted for this building.

Thirdly. Materials themselves will not serve: they must be fitly framed, and wisely disposed, or they will be a heap, not a house. This, then, is not wanting. Yet “are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom all the building, fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit,” Eph. ii. 20–22. There is much spiritual and heavenly architecture in these three verses. I shall only touch on some particulars.

1. The foundation of this house, this temple, is laid; and that is Jesus Christ: “Other foundation can no man lay.” He is here called “The chief corner-stone,” and, “The foundation of the apostles and prophets.” It is not, which they were, but which they laid. It is “genitivus efficientis,” not “materiæ,” that expression holds out, — the persons working, not the thing wrought.

2. The materials of this building, — elect, believers; said in the former verse to be “fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” They alone are built on Christ, and thereby have union with him: not one dead, rotten stone in all this building, as shall be declared.

3. The architects or builders are of two sorts.

(1.) Principal: “The Spirit;” — we are “framed for an habitation of God by the Spirit;” he is the principal workman in this fabric, — without him is not one stone laid therein.

(2.) Secondary and instrumental: “The apostles and prophets.” And this they were two ways.

[1.] Personally, in their several generations; — this was their work, their labour, to lay the foundation and carry on the building of this house.

[2.] Doctrinally; so they labour in it to this very day; — their doctrine in the Scripture holds out the only foundation, and the only way of building thereon.

4. The manner of the building: it is “fitly framed together,” συναρμολογουμένη, closely jointed and knit in together, sweetly closed together with Christ, “the head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God,” Col. ii. 19.

5. What kind of a house it is. It receiveth here a twofold title, “An holy temple,” and “An habitation,” or tabernacle; because of its allusion to both those holy places of the worship of God, fulfilling the types of them both. Hence it is most evident that this church of Christ is a house, and being appropriated unto God, God’s house. To make this the more evident, I shall do these two things:—

(1.) Show you what are the chief properties of this house. (2.) Declare what is the relation wherein Jesus Christ stands to this house, having called it all along the church of Christ. (1.) For the properties, or chief qualities of this house, they are three:— [1.] It is a living house; [2.] It is strong; [3.] It is glorious.

[1.] It is a living house: “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house,” 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5. Christ, the foundation, is a living stone, and they that are built upon him are living stones. Hence they are said to grow together into a house. Growth is a sign of life, growing from an inward principle. Such as the growth of any thing is, such is its life. The growth of this house is spiritual, so therefore also is its life; — it lives with a spiritual life, a life whose fulness is in its foundation. He hath “life in himself,” John v. 26, and they from him: “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live,” Gal. ii. 20; yea, it is himself in them, — “yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” It is true, those stones are dead in the rock as well as others; “by nature children of wrath as well as they,” Eph. ii. 3; being “dead in trespasses and sins,” verse 1. He who hews them out gives them life; — he quickens them when dead in trespasses and sins. There is not one rotten, dead stone in all this building. However some such may, by the advantage of their outward appearance, crowd in, yet they are not of the house itself.

[2.] It is a strong house: “The gates of hell cannot prevail against it,” Matt. xvi. 18. Though the rain descend, and the floods come, and the winds blow upon this house, yet it will not fall, because it is founded on a rock, Matt. vii. 25. We were all once a house built upon Adam; and when the wind came, and beat upon us, we fell; and the fall of that house was very great. He in his best estate was found to be but sand; now we are built upon a rock that will abide all trials:— the waves may make a noise, and dash themselves against him, but it will be to their own ruin.

But you will say, May not weak and inconsistent materials be built upon a rock, which yet may have never the more strength for their foundation?

It is not so here, for the whole building is framed together in the foundation, Eph. ii. 22; not only on it, but also in it, and so not to be prevailed against, unless the rock itself be overthrown. And it is a living rock that this house is built on, — a rock continually communicating strength unto every stone in the building, that it may be enabled to abide in him. I should proceed too far, should I go to declare the mighty defence and fortification of this house; — what hath been spoken from the foundation is enough to demonstrate it to be a strong house.

[3.] It is a glorious house, and that in a threefold respect.

1st. It is glorious in respect of inward glory, brought unto it of God in the face of Jesus Christ, being beautiful through the comeliness that he puts upon it. Hence Christ speaking of it says, “How fair art thou, O love, for delights!” Cant. vii. 6; and, “Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee,” chap. iv. 7. And how, I pray, comes that about? Why, Christ washeth it in his own blood, that it might be wholly “a glorious church,” Eph. v. 26, 27. And farther, he being “The branch of the Lord and fruit of the earth,” is made beauty and glory, excellency and comeliness, thereunto, Isa. iv. 2.

It hath the beauty and glory of justification, which doth not only take away all filthy garments, causing iniquity to pass away, but also gives fair “change of raiment,” Zech. iii. 4, 5, even the “garments of salvation,” and the “robe of righteousness,” Isa. lxi. 10. And then it hath the glory and beauty of sanctification; whence “the King’s daughter is all glorious within,” Ps. xlv. 13. The comeliness and beauty that is in a sanctified soul is above all the glory of the world. This house is all overlaid with gold within; Christ is unto it “a head of gold,” Cant. v. 11. His house is not like Nebuchadnezzar’s image, that the head should be of gold, and the members some of them of clay; — they all partake of his nature, and are very glorious therein.

2dly. In respect of its outward structure, which it eminently hath in all the peculiar assemblies thereof: “O thou afflicted, and tossed with tempest, and not comforted! behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and thy foundations with sapphires. I will make thy windows of agates and carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones,” Isa. liv. 11, 12. So, also, where it is called the new Jerusalem, — a city, from its laws and polity, this “city” is said to be of “pure gold,” — not dross and mire, — “the building of the wall of jasper, and the foundations of the wall garnished with all manner of precious stones,” Rev. xxi. 18, 19. This is that which the psalmist calls. “The beauty of holiness,” Ps. cx. 3. The glory of the ordinances of the gospel is their vigour and purity. There is nothing so glorious as our King on his throne, Christ in his court, this house reigning in the administration of his ordinances:— the “all his garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces whereby they have made him glad. Kings’ daughters are among his honourable women: upon his right hand doth stand the queen in gold of Ophir,” Ps. xlv. 8, 9. His goings are seen, the goings of our God and King in the sanctuary, Ps. lxviii. 24, 25, etc. The apostle exalteth the glory of gospel administrations exceedingly above the old tabernacle and temple worship, — which yet was exceeding pompous and glorious. “If,” saith he, “the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which was done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious,” 2 Cor. iii. 7–11. Let men think as meanly as they please of the spiritual service of God amongst his people, all glory that ever yet appeared in the world was but a bubble to it, — all that God ever instituted before came exceeding short of it. He delights in it who beholds the proud afar off.

3dly. It is glorious in respect of the exaltation it hath above and the triumph over all its opposers. To see a house, a palace, hung round about with ensigns, spoils, and banners taken from the enemies that have come against it, is a glorious thing:— thus is this house of God decked: “Kings of armies did flee apace, and she that tarried at home divided the spoil,” Ps. lxviii. 12. “She that tarries at home,” the mother of the family, the church of God, she “hath all the spoils.” The Lord hath affirmed, that not only every one that opposeth, but all that do not serve this house, shall be utterly destroyed, Isa. lx. 12. There you have the spoil of Pharaoh, and all his host, gathered on the shore of the Red sea, and dedicated in this house, Exod. xv. There you have the robes of Nebuchadnezzar, reserved when himself was turned into a beast, Dan. iv. 1. There you have the imperial ornaments of Diocletian and his companion, casting aside their dominion for very madness that they could not prevail against this house. There is the blood of Julian, kept for a monument of vengeance against apostates. There you have the rochets of the prelates of this land, hung up of late, with other garments of their adherents, rolled in blood. There is a place reserved for the remaining spoils of the great whore, when she shall be burned, and made naked, and desolate, Rev. xi. Never any rose, or shall arise, against this house, and go forth unto final prosperity. Let the men of the world take heed how they burden themselves with the foundation-stone of this house; — it will assuredly break them all in pieces.

Thus have I given you a glimpse of this house, with the chief properties of it, which as God assumes as his own, so also peculiarly it belongs unto the Lord Christ; yea, what relation it stands in unto him, or rather he unto it, is the main thing I intend.

(2.) Jesus Christ stands in a twofold relation unto this house:— [1.] In respect of its fabric and building; [2.] In respect of its state and condition.

[1.] In the first regard, Christ relates to this house in a fourfold respect; — as, 1st. Its foundation; 2dly. Its ark; 3dly. Its altar; 4thly. Its candlestick.

I shall pass through these, God assisting, in order, and begin with what was first laid down, — his relation to this house, as, —

1st. The foundation of it. This was in part declared before. He is the stone which the builders rejected, but made of the Lord the head of the corner, Ps. cxviii. 22. He is the lowest in the bottom, to bear up the weight of the building; and the highest in the corner, to couple the whole together. “Other foundation can no man lay but that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ,” 1 Cor. iii. 11. He is the rock on which he builds his church, Matt. xvi. 18.

Now there are three things required to a foundation, all which are eminently seen in the Lord Christ, in reference to this house.

(1st.) That it be first laid in the building. It were a course exceeding preposterous, first to build a house, and then to lay the foundation. Jesus Christ is the first that is laid in this holy fabric, and that in a fourfold respect.

[1st.] He is the first in respect of God’s eternal purpose. The Lord purposed that “he should have the pre-eminence” in this as well as in all other things, Col. i. 18. He is in that respect “the first-born among many brethren,” Rom. viii. 29, the residue of this house being predestinated to be made conformable unto him. “He is before all things: by him all things” — that is, all spiritual things, all the things of this house — “consist: he is the head of the body, the church.” This I mean, God purposed that Christ should be the bottom and foundation of this whole building, — that it should be all laid on him. I do not mean that God first intended Christ for a foundation, and then his elect for building (the order of intention and execution is, as to first and last, inverted by all agents); but this I say, God purposing to build his elect into a holy temple, purposed that Jesus Christ should be the foundation.

[2dly.] In respect of outward manifestation. God first manifests and declares him, before he laid one stone in this building. Gen. iii. 15, The seed, saith he, of the woman shall bruise the serpent’s head:— in that was laid the first stone of this building. Then was the “Lamb slain,” ἀπὸ καταζολῆς κόσμου, Rev. xiii. 8, presently “after the foundation of the world:” and thence is grace in him said to be given to the elect, πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων, Tit. i. 2, “many ages ago.”

[3dly.] Because, in order of nature, Christ must be first laid in the heart of every individual stone before they are laid up in this building. If Christ be not in men, they are ἀδόκιμοι, 2 Cor. xiii. 7, — altogether useless for this building. Try them never so often, they must at last be rejected and laid aside.

[4thly.] In respect of every particular assembly and little sanctuary of mount Zion. If he be not first laid in the midst of such assemblies, they will prove to be pinnacles of Babel, not towers of Zion. This, therefore, was the way of the saints of old, first to give up themselves to the Lord Christ, and then to one another, by the will of God, 2 Cor. viii. 5.

In these respects Christ the foundation is first laid in this spiritual building, — which is the first property of a foundation.

(2dly.) A foundation must be hidden and out of sight unto all those that outwardly look upon the house. They cannot perceive it, though every part of the house doth rest upon it. And this hath occasioned many mistakes in the world. An unwise man coming to a great house, seeing the antics and pictures [figures?] stand crouching under the windows and sides of the house, may haply think that they bear up the weight of the house, when indeed they are for the most part pargeted posts. They bear not the house, — the house bears them. By their bowing, and outward appearance, the man thinks the burden is on them, and supposes that it would be an easy thing, at any time, by taking them away, to demolish the house itself. But when he sets himself to work, he finds these things of no value; there is a foundation in the bottom, which bears up the whole, that he thought not of:— against that he may waste himself, until he be broken in pieces. Men looking upon the church, do find that it is a fair fabric indeed, but cannot imagine how it should stand. A few supporters it seemeth to have in the world, like crouching antics under the windows, that make some show of under-propping it:— here you have a magistrate, there an army, or so. Think the men of the world, “Can we but remove these props, the whole would quickly topple to the ground.” Yea, so foolish have I been myself, and so void of understanding before the Lord, as to take a view of some goodly appearing props of this building, and to think, How shall the house be preserved if these should be removed? — they looked unto me like the mariners in Paul’s ship, without whose abode therein they could not be saved, — when, lo! suddenly some have been manifested to be pargeted posts, and the very best to be held up by the house, and not to hold it up. On this account the men of the world think it no great matter to demolish the spiritual church of Christ to the ground:— they encourage one another to the work, never thinking of the foundation that lies hidden, against which they dash themselves all to pieces. I say, then, Christ, as the foundation of this house, is hidden to the men of the world, — they see it not, they believe it not. There is nothing more remote from their apprehension than that Christ should be at the bottom of them and their ways, whom they so much despise.

(3dly.) The foundation is that which bears up the whole weight of the building. What part of the house soever is not directly poised upon it hath no strength at all. Take a goodly stone, hew it, square it, make it every way fit for your fabric, so that it may seem to be the best of all your materials; yet if you do not lay it upon the foundation, answerable to that which may give it a solid basis, and bear up the weight and poise thereof, it will be useless, cumbersome, and quickly fall to the ground.

Let a man be hewed and squared by the word and ordinances into outward conformity never so exactly, that he seems one of the most beautiful saints in the world; yet if he be not laid rightly by faith upon the foundation, to derive from thence strength, supportment, and vigour, he will quickly fall to the ground. What, then, will become of their building who heap up all sorts of rubbish to make a house for the, Lord?

2dly. Christ is the ark of this house. The ark in the tabernacle, and afterward in the temple, was the most holy thing in the most holy place. There was nothing in it but the two tables of stone written with the finger of God; — before it was Aaron’s rod that budded, with a pot full of manna; — over it was the propitiatory, or mercy-seat, being a plate of gold as long and as broad as the ark, covering it, being shadowed with the cherubims of glory. Now all this glorious fabric did signify, that unless the law with its condemning power were hid in the ark, and covered with the mercy-seat, no person could stand before the Lord. Besides, the law was the old covenant of works, and being renewed unto them chiefly to be subservient to the gospel, and partly, with its appurtenances mad carnal administration, to be the tenure of the Israelites’ holding the land of Canaan, and this being in the ark, it was said to contain the covenant, and is frequently called “The ark of the covenant.” Jesus Christ is the ark of this spiritual house. When the temple was opened in heaven, there was seen in the temple the ark of God’s testament, Rev. xi. 19, — Jesus Christ, made conspicuous to all, who lay much hid under the old testament, Rom. iii. 25. God is said to set forth Christ to be ἱλαστήριον, “a propitiation,” or mercy-seat; for by that very term is the mercy-seat expressed, Heb. ix. 5. He is, then, the ark and the mercy-seat covering it. He, then, doth these two things:—

(1st.) In behalf of this house, and every stone thereof, he hides the law with its condemning power, that nothing from thence shall be laid to their charge. If a man have a suit to be tried in any court, and a powerful friend engage himself that the only evidence which is against him shall not be produced, will it not give him encouragement to proceed? In that great and tremendous trial which is to be above, there is but one principal evidence against us, which gives life to all others; which if it be removed all the rest must fail:— this is the law. Christ, as the ark and mercy-seat, hides this law; — it shall not (I speak in respect to this house) be produced at the day of trial. Will not this be a great encouragement to them to appear at the throne of God? Christ hides the law, as being “the end” of it, Rom. x. 4, “that the righteousness thereof might be fulfilled in us,” Rom. viii. 4. He hath so far answered all that the law required, that none from thence can “lay anything to the charge of God’s elect,” Rom. viii. 33, 34. Let not poor sinners fear, it will not be with them as with Uzzah:— he touched the ark and died; touch this ark, and live forever. And, —

(2dly.) He is the ark of this house, as containing in himself the new covenant; it is made with him originally, established in him irreversibly, — made out through him in all the grace of it faithfully.

3dly. He is the altar of this house. There were two altars in the old tabernacle and temple, — an altar for sacrifice and an altar for incense, Exod. xxvii. 1, xxx. 1. The first was the great brazen altar that stood without the holy place, whereon the burnt-offerings and all sacrifices of blood for remission were offered. The other less, made of shittim-wood, all overlaid with pure gold, and a crown of beaten gold upon it, on which they were to burn pure incense unto the Lord always. And they were both most holy, sanctifying the gifts with legal sanctification that were offered on them, Matt. xxiii. 19. Now, both these doth our Saviour supply in this house. He is the great altar of sacrifice, the altar of offerings for expiation and atonement: “We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat who serve the tabernacle,” Heb. xiii. 10; that is, even He who sanctified the people with his own blood, and suffered without the gate, verse 11. The good-will and soul of Christ offering up himself, through the eternal Spirit, a pure oblation and sacrifice, by one offering to perfect for ever them that are sanctified, is all our altar. He is also the golden altar of incense. Incense is prayer, Ps. cxli. 2, “Let my prayer come before thee as incense.” Jesus Christ is the golden altar whereon that incense is offered, Rev. viii. 3, 4, even that altar which is always before God, Rev. ix. 13. As by being the former he makes our persons accepted, so by the latter he makes our duties accepted. And all the living stones of this house are priests to offer sacrifice on these altars. By him, as priests, they have approximation to the holy place; — there they have a share and participation in all the sacrifices that are offered upon or by him.