In Elias's volume here one sermon summarises in English what eh then says in Welsh. A note informs us "Byddai Mr Elias weithiau pan y deuai i Liverpool, yn traddodi Sylwedd ei Bregeth yn Saesoneg, gan y hyddai lliaws o Saeson yn dyfod i wrandaw atno." (Mr Elias would sometimes when he came to Liverpool translate the substance of his sermon into English for the sake of the many English speakers who came to hear him - I think that's what it says).
Esaia IV. 6. A phabell sydd yn gysgod y dydd rhag gwres, ac yn noddfa ac yn ddiddos rhag tymmestl a rhag gwlaw.
Esaia IV. 6. And there shall he a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.
This chapter contains evangelical promises, in ceremonial terms. "In that day (saith the prophet) shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall he excellent and beautiful, to them that escape of Israel." I shall briefly give a few words of explanation as I go on, upon some of the most difficult passages. By the "Branch of the Lord," we are to understand the Messiah; who, although he was but a dry root in the sight of the unconverted; yet, to the converted and penitent sinner, he is beautiful and glorious, yea, above every thing in beauty and comeliness. And by the "Fruit of the Earth,'' here, is meant either the Human Nature of the Messiah, or conrertsvto the Messiah; that is,sinners believing in Christ on earth, and united to him by faith. "And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remains in Jerusalem, shall he called holy, eren erery one, that is written among the liring in Jerusalem, shall he called holy." The Scriptures predict, that the Lord shall make his people glorious in holiness, in the latter days, to which these words evidently allude; and this title shews, not only the purification of the Jewish Church and nation ; hut also, the high degree of purity the church universal shall attain in the latter days. " When the Lord shall hare raked away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall hare purged the hlood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, hy the spirit of judgment, and hy the spirit of hurning." By " Zion" and " Jerusalem" here, is meant, the church of Christ; hut may strictly he thus distinguished,— By the " Daughter of Zion," the hranch of God's church militant that was in Judea; and hy " Jerusalem," the church generally throughout the world ; and hy the "filth of Zion," its impurity; and hy the "hlood of Jerusalem," the spirit of persecution that is in the church, from which it is to he cleansed before the great prosperity of the latter days. Wherehy we may infer, that if the church was cleaner from impurity, eren now, she would receive more of God's gracious presence.
Then follows the text,—"And there shall he a tabernacle, &tc." After the old tabernacle and temple shall he done away, Christ, the new Tabernacle, shall remain. The word " Tabernacle," is used here, principally, in allusion to the tabernacle of Israel in the wilderness. That tabernacle was a sign of God's special favour, and his presence amongst his people Israel, as well as for a temple for Divine worship; and an especial type of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Tabernacle mentioned in the text. The words said hy St. John are also spoken of Him, as the prototype of the former tabernacle. John 1. 14 " The Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us;" or as it may he more properly rendered, "and tabernacled amongst us." The human nature of Christ is the true Tabernacle ; and is also a sign, and the best and greatest sign that ever was given of God's favour to mankind. And in this Tabernacle he dwelt amongst men. His name is Immanuel—God with us. A»d in this Tabernacle also, he offered for us, a full, perfect, and satisfactory sacrifice; and it is here that a guilty and lost sinner may meet his God in peace.
I have no talent to speak much in English, and therefore I must be brief, From these words I intend to speak on two things :—
I. On Christ As The True Tabernacle.
II. The Usefulness Of This Tabernacle, contained in three words,— a Shadow, Refuge, and a Covert.
"He shall he a shadow in the day from heat, and also a place of refuge, and a covert from tempest and from rain." I shall say few words on each of these, as they are descriptive of Christ.
1. A Shadow.—"And he shall he a shadow in the day from heat." Shepherds in the Oriental countries used to erect for themselves tents, to shadow them from the burning heat of the sun, and which are here alluded to, as typical of Christ, in his mediatorial character ; who is a shadow from the wrath, and fiery indignation of a just and offended God ; and also from the curse of a holy and broken law, and from guilt consequent thereon; and from the terrors of its threatenings against the transgressors of its just and holy commands:—"And he shall he a shadow."
2. A Refuge:—"And for a place of refuge." He is called a "Refuge," in allusion to the cities of refuge that were in Israel, which were prepared for the escape of the man that killed his neighbour unawares; where, in such an event, he was to run for his life, as there, and there only, would his life he spared; and therefore was called a refuge. And so we are warned to flee to Christ the spiritual Refuge. What! are we murderers ? Yes: every man, or sinner, is spiritually a murderer; and that in a two-fold sense.
1 He is a murderer of his own soul;—and
2 A murderer of God in intention (although he cannot perform); therefore every sinner needs a refuge — and Christ is that refuge. He is the only refuge—a place of safety—for a guilty sinner to fly unto for his life.
3. A Covert:— "And a covert from storm and from rain." And such is Christ spiritually,— a covert and a defender from the wrath to come. There awaits the unconverted a storm and rain indeed. There will he a storm of storms, such as the world hath not seen its equal; a storm to which every other storm is hut a calm, — a storm of wrath and fiery indignation from the presence of the Lord; and a rain of fire and brimstone: and there is no corert from this rain hut Christ; nor none other that can save you from the storm. But he can—" He is able to save to the uttermost." O! therefore, my friends, I entreat you, fly to him — for a shadow, refuge, and covert; for there is no salvation in none other.
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