SERIES VIII. No. 3.

"THE PERFECTION OF

BEAUTY."

A SERMON

PREACHED BY THE

Rev. J. BATTERSBY

(Vicar of St. James', Sheffield),

AT VERULAM MISSION CHURCH, KENNINGTON ROAD,

LAMBETH, LONDON,

THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 4TH, 1883.

In the 50th Psalm and the 2nd verse:

"OUT OF ZION, THE PERFECTION OF BEAUTY, GOD HATH SHINED."

This Psalm is called "A Psalm of Asaph," which implies that it was either composed by him, or for him. He was the chief musician, and conductor of the services of the sanctuary in the time of David. He was both a Prophet, a Seer, and a musician. He was a highly favoured man of God. The Psalm seems to carry the mind forward from his time to the days of the Messiah, to the calling of the Gentiles, to the punishment of the Jews, and to the blessing of God's spiritual people. In the first verse you read how that Jehovah has spoken:-"The mighty God even the Lord hath spoken." He hath spoken from everlasting. He hath spoken both by Patriarchs and Prophets before the days of Asaph, and afterwards by His servants until "in the

fulness of time He hath spoken unto us by His Son Jesus Christ," and then by His holy Apostles, and by His word. He hath called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof." This

seems to be an expression of universality and refers to His people in all parts of the earth. It probably includes the calling of the Gentiles by the preaching of the Gospel. Our text may then be read, as a reason for "Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined." The 3rd verse opens thus:-" Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence:" He shall not keep silence, but He shall speak to the Jews in judgment as He did when they were cast off and scattered hither and thither in the overthrow of Jerusalem. But at the same time His own disciples were spoken to in mercy and blessed. Judgment and mercy generally go together. Hence, in the 5th verse, you have this excellent counsel recorded—“ Gather My saints together unto Me; those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice." The saints are those whom God has set apart for Himself, and called them by His Word and Spirit. They are gathered together to Him from all parts of the world, and they rest upon the Lord Jesus Christ as the One Sacrifice before God for their acceptance. "And the heavens shall declare His Righteousness." That is, those that

are in the heavens; the redeemed, and the very angels of God shall magnify the Righteousness of Jehovah Jesus. "For God is Judge Himself." Then, in the next verse, which I do not intend enlarging upon, the Lord's ancient people are addressed :-"Hear, O My people, and I will speak: O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God." Then from the 8th verse to the end of the 13th, He exposes their ceremonialism, and tells them that He has no pleasure in these things, and that these things do not yield Him that which He requires from His people. Ceremonialism in itself though God may have appointed it, affords Him no pleasure when the broken heart is wanting, but he will not reprove them for these things. Read the 8th verse. In the 14th and 15th verses He plainly

"Offer

states what constitutes real spiritual worship. unto God thanksgiving: and pay thy vows unto the most High." God is the object of worship, as we see in this verse. Praise and thanksgiving come from the heart that has been enlightened and blessed by the Holy Spirit, and which has been brought into personal union with the Lord. Then follows a beautiful lesson in the 15th verse. You may take it, and preach a sermon upon it yourselves. Now look at it. "And call upon

Me." I am the person to be called upon.-"Call

upon Me." This is the language of prayer. Then there is the time when, and there are the circumstances under which God has to be called upon. "In the day of trouble," the day of doubts and fears, the day of trial and perplexity-"I will hear Thee:"-what a blessed assurance and promise! He turns not away from the broken and contrite cry. And the effect shall be:"And thou shalt glorify Me." Now that religion is right, which ends in the glorification of Jehovah Father, Son, and Spirit. Then in the 16th and to the end of the 22nd verse, you have the exposure of mere carnal professors and teachers. I shall not enter into details upon this part of the Psalm.

There is one little expression in the 21st verse which I must ask you to notice when you read it. This is it, "Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself." Read it thus, "Thou hast thought that I AM is such an one as thyself." The I AM in this verse, is the same as the I AM in the 3rd of Exodus Who sent Moses to Israel in Egypt. God calling Himself by this Name would tend to remind this people of the covenant relationship between them and Him, I refer you to the 3rd of Exodus.

In the last verse of our Psalm, God shows what it is to glorify Him. "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me." The evidential part of real religion is "ordering the conversation aright"-and the end is salvation—“I will shew him the salvation of God." I have given you the veriest summary of the Psalm, and now, I must beg of you to read it and meditate upon it yourselves. In

opening out the text, I shall proceed in the following order :

First, what do the words "Out of Zion" imply? Secondly, what are we to understand by "The perfection of beauty?" And thirdly, what is the meaning of the expression "God hath shined?" I hope, that this natural division of our text will enable us to arrive at its meaning. I might make the divisions of our subject more perplexing both to you and to me, but I prefer simplicity whenver I can have it. The great Expounder of any portion of the Divine Word, is the Holy Spirit, Whose help and guidance we would implore in opening out to you the inspired Scriptures of truth. And now

consider :

First, what the words "Out of Zion" imply. Literally, Zion means Jerusalem, but figuratively and spiritually, the Church of God. There are some striking resemblances between the literal and the spiritual Zion, which we must notice. Both have been highly favoured of God. "For the Lord hath chosen Zion; He hath desired it for His habitation. This is My rest for ever: here will I dwell, for I have desired it." (Psalm cxxxii. 13, 14.) In Zion was the true worship of God, and there the Lord was present with His people. The Lord Jesus Christ often appeared in the temple from the day of His birth to the day when He was led out of the city to be crucified on Mount Calvary. In Jerusalem He ate His last Supper with his disciples. There He appeared and spake peace to them after His resurrection, and there the Spirit of God descended upon them on the day of Pentecost. How true are the words of the Psalmist :-" In Judah is God known: His Name is great in Israel. In Salem also is His tabernacle, and His dwelling place in Zion." (lxxvi.) This is as true now of the Church of God Spiritually when the Lord reveals His presence in her midst, as it was literally of Zion in the days of her religious prosperity. The Lord favours His spiritual Zion, and there the saints wait and rehearse His praises.

Out of Zion the Deliverer was to come. St. Paul quotes

the words of the 53rd Psalm :-" There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob." Jew and Gentile are alike interested in this great Deliverer-the Lord Jesus Christ. With this Mighty Deliverer comes the glorious Gospel of the blessed God. "The Lord shall send the rod of Thy strength out of Zion." (Psalm cx.) "Out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." (Isa. ii. 3.) And again, "I bring near My Righteousness; it shall not be far off, and My Salvation shall not tarry: and I will place Salvation in Zion for Israel My Glory." (Isa. xlvi. 13.) God's Salvation is Jehovah Jesus, the Redeemer, and Deliverer of His people. The word which reveals God's Salvation, is the good news of the Gospel from heaven.

Mount Zion stands in contrast with Mount Sinai in the 12th of Hebrews: believers do not come to Mount Sinai for that burns with fire, and is covered with blackness, and darkness, and a terrible tempest rages, and a trumpet sounds, and the voice of words is heard, "Touch it not, for it is the Mountain of holiness, condemnation, and death." But they come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant whose sprinkled Blood speaks peace both to God and to the conscience of man. (Heb. xii. 22.) Zion brings good tidings. Behold your God. (Isa. xl. 9.)

Zion the Church of God, is to be cleansed from all her filthiness. Hear ye the words of the Lord by the Prophet Isaiah in his 4th chapter:-" And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy, every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the Spirit of judgment, and by the Spirit of burning." The living in Jerusalem are the redeemed and quickened saints of God, to whom the Branch of the Lord is beautiful and glorious, and to whom the fruit of Christ's work on the cross,