Look to a Pierced Christ

‘’And I will poor upon the house of David, and tho inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shidl look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as MM moumeth for his onlv son, and shall be in bitterness for him as

<me that is in bitterness (at his first-bom In that dav there

shall be a fountun opened to the house of David and to the mhabitoats of Jerusalem, for sin and for nncleanness.^’ — Zech. zii. 10, mi. 1,

b these words you haye a description of the conversion of the Jews, which is yet to come — «n event that will give life to this diead world. But God’s method is the same in the conversion of any soul. Conversion is the most glorious work of God. The creation of the sun is a very glorioui woric — when God first rolled him flaming along the sky, KBttering out golden blessings on every shore. The change in yring is very wonderful — when God makes the faded grass revive, the dead trees put out green leaves, and the flowers appear on the earth. But rar more glorious and wooderfiil is the conversion of a soul! It is the creation of s sun that is to shine for eternity; it is the spring of the Mml that shall know no winter — the planting of a tree that dhall bloom with eternal beauty in the paradise of God.

L The source of conversion. The hand of Christ: “I win pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplications; and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced.“* The Hdy fibirit comes from the very hand that was pierced by the naif to the accursed tree. Indeed, the innermost source of die Spirit seems to be the heart of the Father. Jesus ciOs him the Spirit of Truth which pioceedetk ftom ike Father;** and, in 1 Cor. ii. 11, he is said to he intlieMbrcof God, as the spirit of a man is in the heart of man. A«^^ is the fiiend that dwelt firom eternity in the bosom o( w Father and of the Son. But still it is as tme that Father has given the Spirit to Christ: It hath pi the Father that in him should all fulness dwelL” J< has obtained the gift of the Holy ^irit as a reward of work. It is fitting that he that died for sinners hare the Spirit to dispense to whom he will; and so one i his last words to his disciples was: I will said him mill Tou: and when he is come he will coQTince the world il sm.

1. This teaches awakened souls where their conviclium cotHe/rom, Do any of you feel that you have been awakenel to concern about your souls? — you hare been pieioed throsijk with an arrow of conriction. Look at the arrow; itcaas out of the bow of Christ. It was Christ that took it out of Ul quirer. Christ aimed it at your heart — Christ made it pieio your heart. The feather is marked with the blood of the pierced hand. That arrow came finom the hand of loye — from the hand that was nailed to the cross. Ah! then, take it a pi^Mf that Christ wants to sare you. He is beginning tid<«l with yo«u Ah! do not turn away — do not tear out the arrow — do not heal the wound sfighdy. Go to himsd and the saune band that pierced you will heaL Lord, if I mar ihpi Have pMM^e £nom thee, giant I may get it froa

:^<, VrVn (in>« wtr ^dkrs «orWv wammded on shoMticimt.’’wUtitft fJU hemd ii, Ckrisi. 1 find that some acknow-M^ the hand of the nunxsta; but not the hand of Christ Thini b a :s«x dt$htioo«r to o«r gkiriovs Immanuel! It >K^ Mkd pt the ErsinM^ iidKB of e Secession, that iW Kvi awTAv ^riviu part of ^Uessing finm their kboars, WcifeM’ iporW <vMiU not see CluKt oto- their heads. I &«4 iia«rh vit ms asKwrst Toaonidics The Lord teadi WMI K^ Kvl aK>xv tse h<-«jia$ cf miatsten, to our glorious Vs^NM^fiRMY^ T^i»(|r«wi h» whif Wrse seeding oat his arrows >^waW<K>a’

converted, and Christ should heal you. You would like to be made a weeping, prajing, lowly believer in dSQs. But, oh! if Christ pours out the Spirit to-day, then en you will be melted — even you will be made to weep to cry: “What must I do to be saved?”

In a time when Christ is not pouring the Spirit down, ministers speak and strive, but in vain; it is like speaking to le winds, or the wild waves of the sea. But when Christ rises m his throne and pours the Spirit down, then the weakest eans are infinitely mighty. The “Word does not come word only. The jaw-bone of an ass was a very weak ord to kill men with; and yet, in the hand of Samson it a mighty. He slew a thousand men with it. A sling 1 a stone was a very weak weapon to oppose an armed nt; and yet when David slang the stone,’ it sank into

forehead of the giant, and he fell upon his face to the th. Oh! pray, dear believers, that the sling and the le may this day be in the hand of our glorious David — t the Word may sink into the hard hearts of this people hat even giants in sin may be brought down to the very t. Ah! I fear that many of you are armed to the teeth inst the Word of God; you are armed ca/?-o-/?te — -armed Jl points. You are mocking, perhaps, in your security;, look up, dear friends, to the arm of Immanuel — he can lg down the proudest. Pray that he would pour down Spirit, I believe that the lowly prayers of a single beer may obtain a deep and pure work of God in a town. :here were men among us like Noah, Job, and Daniel, might expect showers of blessings.

I. TTie Spirit who converts.

. The Spirit of grace* He is so called, because his ling to any soul, and all that he does in the soul, is of! grace. When the Spirit of God first visits a soul, he Is nothing to invite him to come or to stay; he finds the I like the dry bones in the open valley — without any a or comeliness — without any desire for life. Every tiral man has no more comeliness than a dry skeleton — more desire for grace than a dead carcass. Nay, more, re is everything to drive the Spirit away. He is a holy rit; but he finds the heart a sink of corruptions, full of most loathsome lusts and passions. He is a loving rit; but he finds the man’s heart full of rebellion and rid enmity against God. He is a jealous Splnt’> >X>li

218 8EBM0N xxxn.

finds the man’s heart a chamber of imagery, full of abominable idols. Oh! I can imagine the Holj Spirit looking into some of your hearts, and saying: “Why should I come j to such a soul? He does not want me to convert him* He ’ wants to be let alone. He had rather serve his lusts; why - should I disturb him? I will let him alone.” Stay, stay blessed Spirit of grace! Come, out of free grace* Ckpmi| not because he wants thee, but because thou art gradouk Come and make even these dry bones to rise and <»11 upon the name of Jesus.

Some of you know it was thus he came to you. He found you a rebel, and he has made you an obedioit child. Oh, will you ever despair of any, since he turned your heart! There are some among you, dear friends, of whom man would despair — men and women who have lived long in sin — old formalists, to whom betraying the Lord at his table is an old trade. Oh, let us not despair oC. such! The Spirit is the Spirit of free grace. Invite him to come, poor dead soul.

2. Of supplications. Because he teaches to pray* A natural man can hardly be said to pray. True, he has often a form — - often a cry in the time of distress; but “will he always call upon God?” An anxious soul cannot pray vrith a form; for he says, None was ever like me. But a man prays in reality when the Spirit comes to his souL He drove an ungodly Manasseh to his knees. Manasseh had often bowed the knee in youth at his godly fatheis knee — he had often prayed to his bloody idols — he had often prayed to the devil; but now, when the Spirit came he began to pray indeed. He drove a blaspheming Paul to his knees. Often Paul had prayed at the feet of Gamaliel. In the synagogue, and at the comers of streets, he had made long prayers, for a pretence; but now, awakened by the Spirit of God,” behold he prayeth,’*

Have you been taught to pray by the Spirit of God? You once had a form — or you prayed for a pretence — or you prayed to idols; but have you been driven to pray by the Holy Spirit? Then, you may be sure he has begun a work in your heart. If any of you have not been driven to pray in secret, you may be quite sure that you are in the “gul of bitterness and the bond of iniquity.” A prayerless soul is an unawakened soul — very near to the burning. Some pieces of wood vrill bum much more easily than othan; some pieces are green, and do not readily catch the blase

SBBlf ON XXXII. 219

It a dry piece of wood is easily kindled. Pnyerless souls re diy pieces of wood — they are ready for the bumm. Where the eotd looks in conversion: “They shall Mk up<m me whom they have pierced.” When the Spirit f Ood is really working in the heart, he makes the man idk to a pierced Christ. Wherever he goes, this is the fondnent object in his eye — Christ whom he has pierced, latan would make a man look anywhere rather than to Surist There is such a thing as fiaJse conversion. Satan ometimes stirs people up to care about their souls. He Hikes them look to ministers, or books, or meetings, or [oties — to feelings, enlargement in prayer, &c.; he will let ban look to anything in the universe except to one object-*** ’ the cross of Christ. The only thing he hides is the Gos el — the glorious Gospel of Christ. When it is the Spirit i Grod, he will not let the soul look to anything else but to!)hiist — a pierced Christ.

What does an awakened soul see there?

1. That he has pierced the Son of God by his sins. Iliis gives him an awful sense of the infinite greatness of m. A natural man thinks nothing of sin. An oath or a ie is as light as a feather on many of your consciences, fou feel it no burden, even if there were a million of them fing upon your soul. You can sleep easily under all your ins. But if your eyes were opened to look at a pierced /hrist, you would see that the load is infinite. Ah! see here — God did not spare Christ. Though he had no sin of is own — nothing but imputed sin — yet see what infinite rrath was poured upon him! — see what arrows pierced his tdy soul! The nails pierced his spotless hands and feet; «ut all the arrows of God were drinking up his spirit. Will 7od spare you, then, if you die under your own sins, when bese sins are your own act and deed?

Think again: Christ was God. That pale sufferer is the mighty God — the everlasting Father — the Prince of Peace;” ‘et see how he sinks under the load; see, in Gethsemane, tow he lies trembling, sweating great drops of blood; see dm on Calvary, how his bones are out of joint — how his lead is bowed in dying agony. You are but a worm. Can roa bear that wrath? “Can thine heart endure, or can hsae hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with bee?” Oh] look to Chmt, sinners — look to ci ‘{ivei^^^

220 SERMON XXXIt.

Christ, and mourn. Nothing will break your heart but a sight of Christ pierced by your sins.

2. That he has pierced the Son of God by unhelier. When the Spirit reveals Christ to the soul, this is generally the bitterest pang. An unawakened man thinks nothing of unbelief — he does not care that he has rejected Christ times without number. Ministers have preached till their breath is spent, beseeching him to turn and live — Chiiflt hath stood all the day long with his hands stretched out — God hath waited upon that man, has delayed casting him into hell; still he is an unmelted rebeL Ah! when Spirit awakes that man, what a sight he sees in a pierced Christ! Some of you are saying this day: I have despised that glorious One. He would ofen hare gathered me, and I would not. God has been waiting on me for years. Jesus hath been knocking at my door, and I would never let him in; and now I fear he is gone for ever. Yea, some of you may feel that your heart is unwilling to take him, it is so hard and dead. All the more lovely he appears, the more your heart is pierced because you have rejected him. Ah, there is no grief like that of looking to a pierced Christ!

(1.) It 18 a bitter grief. Did you ever see parents mourning the loss of their only son, or of their first-bom? It is an unspeakable sorrow. Such is the anguish of those who look to a pierced Christ. Indeed, some have deeper agony than others — but all who truly look to Christ are in bitterness.

(2.) It is a lonely g’i’^^f’ Indeed it will not be restrained anywhere; and they are wrong who condemn rashly intense anxiety breaking forth even in public; but this grief seeks the shade — the stricken soul seeks to be alone with God, or with a few like minded. David Brainerd mentions, that on one occasion, when he was preaching a pierced Christ to his Indians, the power of God came down among them like a mighty rushing wind: “Their concern was so great, each for himself, that none seemed to take any notice of those about him. They were, to their own apprehension, as much retired as if they had been alone in the thickest desert. Every one was praying apart, and yet all together.”

Oh! dear friends, if you would really look to a pierced Christ, you would be in anguish of soul to obtain an interest in him. Oh I see how you have slighted him in the days gone bj. In youth — at the Sabbath school, as little children, how you have refused him! When you first came to the Lord’s table, he stood a pierced Saviour before your eyes; yet you neglected him, and trampled him below your feet. And are you coming this day to pierce him o?^ again — to drive the nails again into his hands — the; ipear into his side — the thorns into his brow? Oh, stop, mner! you are piercing one who loves you — killing the Prince of Life — neglecting the only Saviour. If you reject him to-day, you may never see him again till you see him in the clouds of heaven, and wail because of him.

Dear believers, remember how you pierced him; let latter herbs sweeten your passover — let a bitter remem-Uanoe of past sin make Christ the more precious.

IV. A fountain is seen t» a pierced Christ

The first look to Christ makes the sinner mourn; the

Kcond look to Christ makes the sinner rejoice. When the

Boal looks first to Christ, he sees half of the truth — he sees

the wrath of God against sin — that God is holy, and must

afenge sin — that he can by no means clear the guilty — he

sees that God’s wrath is infinite. When he looks to Christ

again, he sees the other half of the truth — the love of God

to the lost — that God has provided a surety firee to all. It

is this that fills the soul with joy. Oh, it is strange, that the

same object should break the heart and heal it! A look to

Christ wounds — a look to Christ heals. Many, I fear, have

only a half look at Christ, and this causes only grief. Many

are slow of heart to believe all that is spoken concerning

Jetos. They believe all except that he is free to them.

They do not see this glorious truth: ^’ That a crucified

Jesus is firee to every sinner in the world” — that Christ’s

all IS free to all.

When the Spirit is teaching, he gives a full look at Christ -«a look to him alone for righteousness. What does the sinner see? The wounds of Christ — a fountain for sin and hr nndeanness. Oh, trembling sinners, come and get this look at Christ! come and see a foimtain for sin and for imdeanness, opened on Calvary eighteen hundred years ago. “I cannot, for my sins are very great.” Are you all lift and nndeanness — nothing but sin — a lump of sin? in yovr Ufe, in your heart, are you one bundle of lusts? Boe is a fountain opened for you; look to a pierced Christy and weep; look to a pierced Christ, and be glad, l caxmoX

222 8BRMON xxxin.

wash.** To look is to wash* No sooner is the eye turned than the filthy garments £eJ1.

The fountain is opied up in this house of God to-day. At the very entrance to the tables, Jesus stands and says: ^’ Whosoerer will, let him take die water of life freely.” Are you willing? do you look to him alone for righteowness? Then, come thus washed to the Lord’s table — in the very garment you shall wear in glory. Sit with your ejw upon the fountain. Oh, prize it highly! What do yoa not owe to him who saves you from being cast away!

Some would go past the fountain to the taUe. Take heed, ungodly man! Will you dare to sit there with unpar* doned sin upon you? — will you venture to touch the biw, and your soul unwashed? Ah, you will bitterly rue it one day! Some, I trust, will remember this day in glory; some I fear, will remember this day in hell.

St Peter April 19, l840.~(Aetion SenncAu)