Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 6.djvu/141

Rh God. See Gal. 1. 10. He served the good of men; but did not serve the will of men. Or, by the will of God's providence so ordering it, qualifying him for, and calling him to, a public station, he served his own generation; for every creature is that to us, that God makes it to be. David was a great blessing to the age wherein he lived, he was the servant of his generation; many are the curse, and plague, and burthen, of their generation. Even those that are in a lower and narrower sphere, must look upon it, that therefore they live, to serve their generation; and those that will do good in the world, must make themselves servants of all, 1 Cor. 9. 19. We were not born for ourselves, but are members of communities, to which we must study to be serviceable. Yet here is the difference between David and Christ, that David was to serve only his own generation, that generation in which he lived; and therefore when he had done what he had to do, and written what he had to write, he died, and continued in the grave; but Christ (not by his writings or words upon record only as David, but by his personal agency) was to serve all generations, must ever live to reign over the house of Jacob, not as David, for forty years, but for all ages, as long as the sun and moon endured, Ps. 89. 29. His throne must be as the days of heaven, and all generations must be blessed in him, Ps. 72. 17. [2.] His death; He fell asleep. Death is a sleep, a quiet rest, to those who, while they lived, laboured in the service of God and their generation. Observe, He did not fall asleep till he had served his generation, till he had done the work for which God raised him up. God's servants have their work assigned them; and when they have accomplished as a hireling their day, then, and not till then, they are called to rest. God's witnesses never die till they have finished their testimony; and then the sleep, the death, of the labouring man will be sweet. David was not permitted to build the temple, and therefore when he had made preparation for it, which was the service he was designed to, he fell asleep, and left the work to Solomon. [3.] His burial; He was laid to his fathers. Though he was buried in the city of David, (1 Kings 2. 10.) and not in the sepulchre of Jesse his father at Bethlehem, yet he might be said to be laid to his fathers; for the grave, in general, is the habitation of our fathers, of those that are gone before us, Ps. 49. 19. [4.] His continuance in the grave; He saw corruption. We are sure he did not rise again; this St. Peter insists upon, when he freely speaks of the patriarch David; (ch. 2. 29.) He is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. He saw corruption, and therefore that promise could not have its accomplishment in him. But,

(2.) It was accomplished in the Lord Jesus; (v. 37.) He whom God raised again, saw no corruption; for it was in him that the sure mercies were to be reserved for us. He rose the third day, and therefore did not see corruption then; and he rose to die no more, and therefore never did. Of him therefore the promise must be understood, and no other.

3. Having given them this account of the Lord Jesus, he comes to make application of it.

(1.) In the midst of his discourse, to engage their attention, he had told his hearers, that they were concerned in all this; (v. 26.) "To you is the word of this salvation sent; to you first. If you by your unbelief make it a word of rejection to you, you may thank yourselves; but it is sent to you for a word of salvation; if it be not so, it is your own fault." Let them not peevishly argue, that because it was sent to the Gentiles, who had no communion with them, therefore it was not sent to them; for to them it was sent in the first place. "To you men this is sent, and not to the angels that sinned. To you living men, and not to the congregation of the dead and damned, whose day of grace is over." He therefore speaks to them with tenderness and respect; You are men and brethren; and so we are to look upon all those that stand fair with us for the great salvation, as having the word of salvation sent to them. Those to whom he does by warrant from heaven here bring the word of salvation, are, [1.] The native Jews, Hebrews of the Hebrews, as Paul himself was; "Children of the stock of Abraham, though a degenerate race, yet to you is this word of salvation sent; nay, it is therefore sent to you, to save you from your sins." It is an advantage to be of a good stock; for though salvation does not always follow the children of godly parents, yet the word of salvation does; Abraham will command his children and his household after him. [2.] The proselytes, the Gentiles by birth, that were in some de gree brought over to the Jews' religion; "Whosoever among you that feareth God. You that have a sense of natural religion, and have subjected yourselves to the laws of that, and taken hold of the comforts of that, to you is the word of this salvation sent; you need the further discoveries and directions of revealed religion, are prepared for them, and will bid them welcome, and therefore shall certainly be welcome to take the benefit of them."

(2.) In the close of his discourse, he applies what he had said concerning Christ, to his hearers. He had told them a long story concerning this Jesus; now they would be ready to ask, What is all this to us? And he tells them plainly, it is to them.

[1.] It will be their unspeakable advantage if they embrace Jesus Christ, and believe this word of salvation; it will relieve them there where their greatest danger lies; and that is from the guilt of their sins; "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren; we are warranted to proclaim it to you, and you are called to take notice of it." He did not stand up to preach before them, but to preach to them, and not without hopes of prevailing with them; for they are men, reasonable creatures, and capable of being argued with; they are brethren, spoken to, and dealt with, by men like themselves; not only of the same nature, but of the same nation. It is proper for the preachers of the gospel to call their hearers brethren; as speaking familiarly to them, and with an affectionate concern for their welfare, and as being equally interested with them in the gospel they preach. Let all that hear the gospel of Christ, know these two things:

First, That it is an act of indemnity granted by the King of kings to the children of men, who stand attainted at his bar of treason against his crown and dignity; and it is for and in consideration of the mediation of Christ between God and man, that this act of grace is passed and proclaimed; (v. 38.) "Through this Man, who died and rose again, is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. We are to tell you, in God's name, that your sins, though many and great, may be forgiven, and how it is come about that they may be so, without any injury to God's honour; and how you may obtain the forgiveness of your sins. We are to preach repentance for the remission of sins, and divine grace giving both repentance and remission of sins. The remission of sins is through this Man, by his merit it was purchased, in his name it is offered, and by his authority it is bestowed; and therefore you are concerned to be acquainted with him, and interested in him. We preach to you the forgiveness of sins; that is the salvation we bring you, the word of God; and therefore you ought to bid us welcome and look upon us as your friends, and messengers of good tidings."

Secondly, That it does that for us, which the law of Moses could not do. The Jews were jealous for the law, and because it prescribed expiatory and pacificatory sacrifices, and a great variety of