SHOW IN WHAT RESPECT CHRIST MAY BE COMPARED TO A ROCK.
1. Christ is a Rock, in regard of His omnipotent power.
2. Christ is a Rock, in regard of that ineffable glory to which He is now exalted. Rocks may lie low and deep in the ground, but rise with artless grandeur and inimitable beauty, and their lofty heads divide the clouds.
3. Jesus Christ is a Rock in regard of His faithfulness, and the unchangeable nature of His perfections. Those storms and tempests which spread desolation, and bury whole islands and countries in ruins, remove not the rocks out of their place. But Jesus is firmer than they.
4. Christ is a Rock, in regard of His majesty and beauty.
II. SHOW HOW GOOD MEN MAY BE CALLED INHABITANTS OF THE ROCK
1. Because that is their dwelling-place.
2. They are inhabitants of the Rock, as that is the place of their nativity. All the inhabitants of this Rock are born in the image of the Son of God; a new and peculiar race.
3. They may be called inhabitants of the Rock, as they are a people who dwell on high. Their souls and all their nobler powers soar above the mean pursuits of this world.
4. They may be called inhabitants of the Rock, as they are to abide there for ever.
5. They are inhabitants of the Rock, as all their supplies come from Christ. From this doctrine we may learns
(1) The infinite wisdom of God in laying our help upon Christ.
(2) That the figurative expression of Christ, trader the notion of a rock, magnifieth the power of God on which our faith may rest.
(3) The wickedness and folly of all who oppose the Son of God.
(4) The folly and wickedness of those who build their hopes of eternal life upon any other foundation than Christ, the Rock.
(5) The great duty of all who hear the Gospel’s joyful sound, to fly to Christ, the Rock. (J. Johnston.)
Christ the Christian’s song
I. WHAT KIND OF A SONG IT IS WHICH THE SAINTS ARE CALLED TO SING. It is a song on redeeming love.
1. A new song. It proceeds from a new heart, which is animated with new mercies.
2. A spiritual song. It is unmingled with carnal joy, or that of the hypocrite, which is short and unfruitful of solid comfort. It is from above, and animates all the powers of the soul. It will never become obsolete, but afford endless pleasure to the redeemed.
3. A song of distinction. Every heart is not formed for such exalted praise. The feeble powers of nature, unassisted by Divine grace, cannot learn this new song.
4. A song of victory. The saints of God are clothed in white, an authentic emblem of their faith and victory.
5. A song upon a sacrifice.
6. An everlasting song. Not the joy of the hypocrite, soon kindled, and soon extinguished; the powers of the soul are enlarged, and rendered fit for those endless raptures of joy and praise.
II. THE SUBJECT-MATTER OF THIS SONG.
1. Jesus Christ our Lord manifested in human nature.
2. The manifestation of Divine judgments. When the Judge of all the earth came down, and delivered His ancient Israel from Egyptian bondage, He routed Pharaoh and His hosts, by such signal judgments as spread His fame far and wide: “His name was great, and His praise glorious through the whole earth.” Moses and Israel sang, “The Lord hath triumphed gloriously, the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea.” When Rome, as ancient Babylon, fell to rise no more, the heavenly Church is brought in as a chorus, to praise God for His righteous judgments and faithfulness. This excellent hymn of praise, sung by the united voices of saints and angels, strongly represents to all Christians, and every Church on earth, what grateful sense they ought to have of the Divine faithfulness in their protection, and of His righteous judgments in punishing the persecutors of truth and religion.
3. The infinite worthiness of Christ the Lamb of God.
4. The believer’s union to the Divine Redeemer.
5. Communion with all the persons of Deity. That sincere believers in Christ enjoy such a communion, is most obvious from the sacred Scriptures. (J. Johnston.)
Safety in the rock
The hare, that trusteth to the swiftness of her legs, is at length overtaken and torn to pieces; when the coney, that flieth to the holes in the rocks, doth easily avoid the dogs that pursue her. (J. Trapp.)
