Precious And Honourable In The Sight Of God
Notes Of A Sermon Preached By Mr. William Ferris, At Salem Chapel, Portsmouth, On Lord’s Day Morning, Aug. 8th, 1886.
“Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee; therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.”—Isaiah 43:4
This is a very precious and blessed part of God’s Word. This, dear friends, is the gospel. It is all compact together in the eternal decrees of God, in God’s everlasting, electing love and grace. God chose the church in eternity, and he designed it to be a glorious church; and chose what means he would use to bring about his own purposes and designs in order to make it a glorious church. I read a remark years ago in a good author, and I never forgot it. It was this: “What was first in intention was last in execution.” As much as if a man should say, “I will have a house built according to such a plan;” and then he prepared the materials for the same. When we come to God’s Word and truth we must bear in mind that all shall be brought to pass. “Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable.” The church was precious in the sight of God the Father, in the sight of God the Son, and in the sight of God the Holy Ghost. Herein stands the preciousness, and the completeness. It is thus a “glorious church, not having spot, wrinkle, or any such thing.”
But now to the character spoken of in the text. God’s people were chosen from everlasting, and they are made manifest by calling and by the power of the Holy Ghost; for in their natural state they lay buried in Adam, buried in sin and in hatred to God. Yes, and in hatred to all things concerning God. Some will say, “That is very hard. I do not hate God like that.” But friends, it is the truth; and in this state we all lay until the time of effectual calling arrived. You will stumble at the Word of God; yes, at the very words of my text, until the Holy Ghost brings the spirit and power of it into your heart. These are solemn things.
But we said we would speak of the character mentioned in my text. God says in this chapter, “Fear not; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.” O my friends, there is something so endearingly precious in the Word of God, that meets the cast-down and those in tribulation, whether it be through inside things, outside things, or things which appear impossible. I want to feel something of the preciousness of this while I am speaking of these gospel secrets and gospel mysteries. I call them secrets and mysteries, and so they are, and they meet the secret feelings of the Lord’s people; and as the Holy Ghost leads them into the secrets, and more and more into the workings of unbelief, they find they are gospel mysteries.
I will not arrange my subject into divisions, but speak as I find the matter bubble up in my heart. I want the Holy Ghost to cause it to spring, so that it may meet the Spirit’s work in the hearts of his people. Some are at the breast, some are children, and some young men and fathers. They have in their souls, faith, hope, and love; and blessed graces they are; for they spring up again. Yes, they do indeed. The Christian has two springs within him. There is the springing up of old, corrupt nature; and O what a plague this is! It grows no better. Paul said, “O wretched man that I am!” and so I find it still. But there is also the springing up of the new man. Sometimes faith springs up, hope springs up, and love springs up, as the Lord Jesus Christ is spoken of in the preaching of the gospel, and that he has accomplished all, having assumed our nature, and in that nature suffered, and worked out righteousness and salvation for his people. He was begotten by the Holy Ghost, and was pure, spotless, undefiled, separate from sinners. He fulfilled the law. Some poor soul may say, “I am a lawbreaker, and the law has killed me.” Yes, but Christ has fulfilled it. I am speaking the truth; and in the short time that we may be together I want to speak according to God’s Word and his gospel.
According to covenant engagements the sins of God’s people were imputed to Christ, and he accomplished all. Yes, the sins of the whole election of grace were imputed to him. He had a perfect knowledge of every one that the Father gave to him. They were given to him before all worlds: “He was made sin.” Does not this strengthen faith? Does not this strengthen love? Yes, it is an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast. When, a poor sinner is cast-down, and feels he is hell-deserving, he says, “How can I be loved? “Then in comes the gospel, and the new man springs up in desire after Jesus Christ. The gospel is glad tidings to such as are taught of the Spirit of God.
What a life of conflict it is where the work is begun and carried on by the Spirit of God! O the many, many things we have to pass through, the bitters and the sweets. Jesus suffered for his people, and his sufferings can never be fully told. Who is able to speak fully of the sufferings and agonies of Jesus? The Holy Spirit reveals the things of Christ to us, and then there is a sweet sense of the plan of salvation wrought in the heart. There is no mixture with it: it is all of grace, and in God’s time and way he reveals it unto his people. Now there is a growing in these things. We grow in a feeling sense of our need of the imputed righteousness of Jesus, and are at times favoured with communion with God and access unto the Father. In the Lord’s family, there are babes, young men, and fathers.
“Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable.” At times we can trace and feel the reality of this in our hearts. It is a complete and finished salvation. In love Christ accomplished it: “I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” (Jn. 17:4.) Yes, it is all in love; for in love he saved us: “Ye are complete in him.” “Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee.” God’s people are precious as they are viewed in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit bears witness with their spirits that they are chosen, redeemed, and washed in the precious blood of the Lamb. In glory there will be the perfection of it, and it will be blessed indeed. Now, bear in mind, that while we are here on earth we grow in a sense of ourselves as sinners. It is not all found out in a day, a month, or a year. But what a mercy to be under the teaching and leading of the Spirit, who has quickened us into life. He reveals the glorious Person of Jesus, and his perfect work and righteousness to our souls.
“Thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee.” The cause of it all is opened up in these few words: “I have loved thee.” The children of God are brought feelingly into many straits and difficulties, sorrows and tribulations of one sort and another; but they are also brought into joy and consolation. They are taught the spiritual sense of the word: ”I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing.” (Rom. 8:18.) Say you, “How can I be honourable? Poor, vile, sinful thing that I am; nothing but a mass of sin.” Why, it is in Jesus thou art honourable. Have there not been times when the Holy Ghost has led you into sweet communion with God as your heavenly Father, and did you not then feel Jesus very precious? He had washed you in his precious blood; so that you could then go to God as your Father. Why, my friends, I have scores of times felt access to God, had his love shed abroad in my heart, and felt that I was clothed and justified. This is a great thing; but is it too great? It is too great for human eyes to behold: “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor. 2:14.) “Unto you therefore which believe he is precious.” (1 Pet. 2:7.) If Jesus Christ is precious to you, you have the witness in your heart. God views his people precious and honourable in him.
We are cut off from all free-will, and creature doings. In John 13 how the Lord speaks of being “clean,” and in the 15th chapter he says, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.” God gives his people a clean conscience, a clean heart, and a clean walk. The gospel opens up these secrets to encourage every seeking soul. Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and Paul says, “That I may know him, and be found in him.” “Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee.” God does not see as we see. He looks at the heart, at the inside, and he will give us light in the conscience to see ourselves too. “It pleased the Father that in him (Christ) should all fulness dwell;” and we receive out of his fulness. Is it not wonderful that such sinners as we are should be brought into union with the Son of God, that his precious blood should cleanse our conscience and wash away our sins, and that we should be clothed in his imputed righteousness? Joshua stood before the angel of the Lord clothed with filthy garments; but God said, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And unto him he said, “Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.” (Zech. 3:4.) It is by faith that we are led to see these things, and, as I have said, there is a growing in the knowledge of them.
The gospel opens up every encouragement for seeking souls. Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost. O what a blessed Jesus! My text says, “Thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee.” That is the spring-cause of all of it. We find every blessing springs from love. O the love of God the Father, the love of God the Son, and the love of God the Holy Ghost! It is a Trinity of love; and here lies the safety of the church: “I will keep it night and day.” But you may say, “How will it be with me when I come to die?” Why, Jesus died and rose again. God purges the dross and tin from his people in his own time and way.
The gospel signifies good news and glad tidings; and it is good news indeed to sensible sinners. “Therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.” The enemies of the church in all ages of the world have been many, but they have all been over-come. Look at the martyrs: “They overcame by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.” Then there are religious enemies; but they are only time-servers of the devil and of the Pope. Well, friends, all the enemies of God’s people will be defeated, and the church will be preserved, even as the Israelites were brought safely out of Egypt. O it is solemn, very solemn! The enemies of the church little think of the wrath of God that will come upon them. But I must leave the subject, and may the Lord grant his blessing. Amen, and Amen.
William Ferris (1802-1887) was a Strict and Particular Baptist preacher. He served as pastor for the churches meeting at Clack, Hilperton, Shoreham and Landport. It was during the last sixteen years of his life he served the church meeting at Salem Chapel, Landport.
