The Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University

Seeking After Christ

 

And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. Matthew 2:10.

 

These words are a part of the story of the wise men that came from the east to see and to worship Jesus Christ after his birth. 'Tis not known who these wise men were. There are various opinions about it. This is certain: that there was at that day a very great expectation in the world of some great person that was to arise in Judea that was to rule over the world, which probably arose from the Jews being dispersed all over the world, as they were after the captivity into Babylon, and so their carrying the prophecies of the Messiah with them.

And 'tis most probable that those wise men that came from the east were some that had received instruction from the holy writing of the Jews that had been carried into the east, first to Babylon, which was many hundred miles to the east of Judea, and afterwards to Shushan in Persia, which was yet a great deal further to the east. There was Daniel, that great prophet exalted to great dignity, and there was Nehemiah, and there was Elisha and Mordecai; and these had the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning Christ with them. And Daniel himself, who was set over the wise men of the east as their master, was himself a great prophet and wrote one of those books of Old Testament prophecy— whose prophecy of Christ is in some respects more particular than [that] of any other prophets— and probably wrote it in Persia when he was in great dignity there, and doubtless left instructions among the great and wise men of that eastern part of the world, whose master he was, concerning Christ, and probably might leave his own prophecy and the other prophecies of Scripture concerning the Messiah in their hands.

The word in the original that is translated wise men is magai. And learned men observe that there is to this day in those eastern parts of the world, and particularly in Persia, a sect called by this very name, Magai or Magi— and have been time out of mind— that have many parts of the Old

Testament in their hands and have had 'em delivered down from their forefathers for a great many ages. And it is supposed that they received 'em from the Jews that were carried captive, and particularly from Daniel. 'Tis certain that those wise men or Magi that came from the east to see and to worship Christ, had some further instruction and direction than they had by the light of nature, and that two ways:

1. They were probably instructed [in] one of the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the star that should arise out of Jacob. This they probably had from Balaam's prophecy. Numbers 24:17, “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall arise out of Israel, that shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.”

Balaam himself, who prophesied thus, came out of the east and, it may be, from the same country that those wise men came from, and there might leave his prophecy.

2. They were instructed³ by immediate direction from heaven. There was [an] extraordinary hand of God stirring them up to come and seek Christ, and directing them how to find him; as is manifest, because God caused a miraculous star to appear for their direction. This star appeared to 'em in their own country together with an intimation from God that Christ now appeared in Judea, as appears by the second verse. They see this wonderful star and they knew it was a sign that Christ was come, and so came into Judea. It seems this star appeared to them a while and then disappeared; and they came to Jerusalem to inquire after Christ and, while they were diligently seeking him, the star appeared to 'em again, as in the next verse before the text: “When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.”

And then come in the words of the text: “and when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”

Four things may be particularly noted:

(1) Whom they had been seeking. They sought Christ. They had come a very long journey to seek him. We read of some that came from the utmost parts of the earth to see the wisdom of Solomon. And probably these came from as great a distance to see and to worship Christ, that was now born into the world to be the Savior of the world. They had doubtless undergone a long fatigue. It was a tedious and wearisome journey, and they had been inquiring of the priests and scribes where they should find Christ.

(2) We may observe how it was discovered to 'em where Christ was. They saw a bright and lovely star that was the emblem of his glory. This arose to them to enlighten and direct them. This star represented Christ, who is called a star rising out of Jacob in Balaam's prophecy, and is said to be the bright and morning star (Revelation 22:16).

(3) We may observe what kind of effect this discovery had upon their minds. The effect was joy in them. As the star arose to their view, joy arose in their hearts.

(4) The degree of this effect. The joy was⁴ exceeding great; they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

Doctrine.

When those that have been earnestly seeking Christ come to find him, [they] have reason to rejoice with exceeding great joy.

The following reasons may be given of the doctrine:

I. The person that they find is exceeding excellent and lovely. Before Christ is found, there is nothing that is truly lovely that is ever found or seen. Those things that they had been conversant with before and had set their hearts upon, had no true excellency. They only deceived 'em with a false, empty show. But now they have found Christ, they have found one that is excellent indeed. They see in him a real and substantial excellency.

Before that, while they were under trouble, they had before them only those things that were objects of fear and terror, such as their own guilt, the wickedness of their hearts, and the wrath of God, and death and hell, but nothing pleasant or lovely. But [when] they came to find Christ, what was terrible in those objects disappears, and they found a glorious object and far surpassing all things that ever they saw, one of excellent majesty and of perfect purity and brightness, purer than the light of the sun, infinitely farther from all deformity or defilement than the highest heavens themselves; and this conjoined with the sweetest grace, one that clothes himself with mildness and meekness and love. How refreshing and rejoicing must this be after they have nothing before their eyes but their sins staring them in the face, appearing with a frightful countenance, and God's terrible anger, and frightful devils, and death's pale and ghastly countenance, and the devouring flames of hell. How exceeding refreshing must it be to find so lovely an object after they have so long had nothing but such objects before 'em.

It was doubtless the more refreshing and joyful to the wise men to see Christ's star arise because, till then, they had been travailing in a great wilderness; for there, a vast, dry, desolate, howling wilderness lay to the east of Judea, through which they travailed in seeking Christ, where they found no pleasant objects, nothing but dry sands and barren rocks, and pits and drought, and serpents and wild beasts. But now they have a pleasant object, a bright star arising.

So sinners that seek Christ, they seek him in a wilderness. They have a wilderness to travail through before they can find him. But what exceeding great joy does it cause to behold so glorious an object after travailing in such a dreadful desert. How joyful may it well [be], after travailing in a night of gross darkness, beholding no pleasant object, having nothing but darkness, to behold so bright a star with such pleasant, refreshing light enlightening and smiling upon them.

They that find Christ, find him who is the chiefest of ten thousand, altogether lovely [Canticles 5:10]. They find one with a loveliness altogether new, such as they never saw anything like it before. They find a pearl of great price, a jewel that is exceeding precious. The brightness with which it sparkles is precious and sweet. The brightness of the sun is but darkness to it, and therefore it fills the soul with exceeding gladness.

II. They find Christ exceeding ready to receive them. Though he be so glorious and excellent a person, yet they find him ready to receive such poor, worthless, hateful creatures as they are, which was unexpected to 'em. They are surprised with it. They did [not] imagine that Christ was such a kind of person, a person of such grace. They heard he was an holy Savior and hated sin, and they did not imagine he would be so ready to receive such vile, wicked creatures as they. They thought he surely would never be willing to accept such provoking sinners, such guilty wretches, those that had such abominable hearts. But behold, he is not a whit the more backward to receive 'em for that. They unexpectedly find him with open arms to embrace them, ready forever to forget all their sins as though they had never been. They find that he as it were runs to meet them, and makes 'em most welcome, and admits 'em not only to be his servants but his friends [Luke 15:11-24]. He lifts 'em out of the dust and sets 'em on his throne; he makes them the children of God; he speaks peace to them; he cheers and refreshes their hearts; he admits 'em unto strict union with himself, and gives the most joyful entertainment, and binds himself to them to be their friend forever. So are they surprised with their entertainment. They never imagined to find Christ a person of such kind of love and grace as this. 'Tis beyond all imagination or conception.

III. They that find Christ find that deliverance that is exceeding great. They were before the children of wrath; but now, behold, they are delivered from that wrath and God is become their friend. Before they were in the possession of Satan, a dreadful adversary; but now they have found deliverance out of his hands. Christ has rescued 'em. He has conquered the strong man armed [Luke 11:21]. He has forever set 'em out of the devil's reach as to any power to destroy them.

Before they were terribly afraid of death; but now they have deliverance from all hurt that death can do 'em. They have no need now to be at all afraid of death. They may now in Christ set their hearts at rest about it. Hebrews 2:15, [Christ came] to deliver those “who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

Before they were in a terror about the day of judgment; but now they are delivered. They need not fear to hear the last trumpet at any time. When that day comes that the earth shall be removed and the mountains {shall be moved out of their places},⁵ they need not fear.

They were before, every day and night, in danger of devouring fire and everlasting burnings; but now they have found safety. They before were in an horrible pit; but now they are delivered. They have found a rock on which to set their feet. Before they were in dreadful captivity; but now they are brought out of it. Their chains are knocked off. The prison doors are set open and they are set free from their taskmasters.

IV. They that find Christ find a defense that is exceeding strong. As they are delivered, so they may be sure that they shall be forever safe. Their enemies that before held 'em in captivity was vastly too strong for them. They were in their hands as infants in the hands of giants, but now they have found a Savior infinitely stronger than they. They have found a strong rock and an high tower where they may dwell on high.

Christ is between them and their enemies like a great, steep, rocky, impassable mountain, like that mountain that divided between Saul and David when Saul sought David's life, of which we read, 1 Samuel 23:26, “And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain.” And 'tis said, v. 1 Samuel 23:28, “therefore they called the place Selah Hammahlekoth,” which signifies “the Rock of Divisions,” because it was the mountain or rock that divided between David and his enemies.

It seems that that mountain was a very steep, high, and rocky mountain, so that it was impassable, so that it divided between David and Saul and was a defense to David, so that Saul could not come at him to hurt him, though he must [have been] just by him. But Christ is the true Selah Hammahlekoth, like a great and high mountain of rock to be a wall of division between them and their enemies. Their enemies can as soon penetrate a rocky mountain as they can hurt those that have found Christ.

V. They that have found Christ have a fountain that is exceeding full, full of that which they stand in need of for the supply of the wants, and satisfying the cravings of their souls; a fountain of that happiness that is true happiness, that which is exquisitely sweet, a fountain of living waters from whence rivers are continually flowing. They that find him find rivers of waters in a dry place.

Here they find an inexhaustible treasure. Here they find balm to heal the wounds of their souls, excellent food, “fat things full of marrow, and wines on the lees well refined” [Isaiah 25:6]. Here they find that fruit that is sweet to the taste. Here they find gold tried in the fire. Here is white raiment to clothe them. Here are crowns of glory.

Here they have enough, enough to live upon as long as they live in this world, and to all eternity. Here is enough; they can desire no more. The fountain is inexhaustible and never can be diminished. And has not a poor, ragged, naked beggar, a wretched outcast, a wandering, famishing, lost creature, cause of exceeding great joy when, after it has long wandered in the wilderness, it finds such a fountain?

Application.

Use I. [Of] Exh. to those that never have found Christ, earnestly to seek him. You that never yet have found Christ, how sorrowful is your condition. What a dreadful wilderness and what darkness are you in. How empty, how needy is your poor soul. How have you all your lifetime been a poor, wretched, miserable, lost creature, and never have yet seen any true good, and are in great danger of perishing forever and ever.

Consider what have you been following after, what have [you] been spending your life in pursuit of and spending your strength for. How have you spent your precious time, and what have you got by all that you have been doing? And will you still follow the devil, who as it were befools and infatuates your will? You yet follow after those shadows that have bewitched you. Will you not now, at last, set yourself to Jesus Christ, that excellent Savior that you have heard of at this time?

I hope some of you are in some measure convinced of your former folly and are seeking Christ. But be exhorted earnestly to seek him. If you do so, and continue in it, there is reason to hope that you will find him; and then you will rejoice with exceeding great joy. Now you are a very miserable creature; 'tis beyond the power of either men or angels to declare your misery. But how happy a person would you be, if you should find Christ. Then you would find a precious jewel indeed, that would be more worth to you than all the gold and jewels in the world.

Now some of you are weary. You stand in fear what will become of you. You can't lie down on your beds a-nights quietly. You are afraid that you shall perish forever. You have heard of a devouring fire and everlasting burnings that you can't bear, and you are afraid that you shall suffer them. You can't have any rest in the condition that you are in.

But if you find Christ, then you will find rest. You will have in him a pleasant rest, an hiding place from the world, a covert from the tempest, a strong rock.

Now [you] are concerned because you are a captive of Satan. And indeed, you have reason to be concerned. 'Tis indeed a dismal thing to be in the hands of such an enemy. But if you find Christ, you will find a deliverer; he'll rescue you out of Satan's hands and will stand like a rocky mountain between your soul and your enemies, a mountain that they can't pass over.

You find that it is not comfortable living as you be now: 'tis more uncomfortable than to wander in a dry, scorching wilderness under the burning heat of the sun. But if you find Christ, then you will find a pleasant, cool shade to rest in, an pole tree, a tree of life. You may set down under his shadow with quiet rest and sweet delight. If you find Christ, you will find that precious balm that will heal all the wounds of your soul; he'll pour in the oil of comfort into your heart.

Now you wander in darkness. This darkness is a dismal darkness. Some persons are afraid to walk in the dark for fear they should meet with the devil, and would be terribly afraid to be left alone out in an howling wilderness in a dark night for fear of being haunted by evil spirits.

However vain the fears of such persons may be, yet the darkness that you wander in is really an haunted darkness; it is full of evil spirits, full of devils. You wander about on a vast, howling, desolate wilderness in a night of darkness and the shadow of death, amongst evil spirits that meet you and haunt you wherever you go.

O how happy will you be if you, in this state, should find that star which arises out of Jacob! That would be to you as a light shining in a dark place. It would be a pleasant sight to behold, the most beautiful and lovely object that ever your eyes beheld.

It would scatter your darkness and it would drive away the devils that haunt you. Evil spirits can't bear the pure and heavenly light of that star; they hate it and dread it. But you would find it a pleasant light to your soul, filling it with a sweet calm and excellent refreshment.

There is a kind of infinite power in the light of this heavenly star to fill the heart with gladness and rejoicing. Its light in the soul is holiness and happiness itself. Let not any seek or expect to see a star in their imaginations, as though we saw something up in the air shining with an outward light. The star that I speak [of] is Christ as held forth in the doctrine [of the] Word of God, and in the glorious gospel, which is to be seen, not with bodily eyes, not in the imagination, but in the understanding and sense of the heart.

If you find this star, then will you come out of darkness into marvelous light. You'll find the brightest light in the universe. You will find the pleasantest and sweetest light that is to be seen in heaven itself, the most beautiful object that ever the eyes of angels beheld.

That which at the distance appears to be a star, a bright and morning star, will hereafter, as you come nearer to it, appear to be the Sun, the light of the world, a Sun in comparison of which the sun in the firmament is dark,⁶ yea, black as sackcloth of hair [Revelation 6:12], and yet a sun whose light is so mild and sweet that its glorious brightness shall not at all dazzle or pain your sight. If you find this you will find that beautiful, lovely object, in beholding which God the Father himself has his infinite and eternal happiness. It rejoices God's heart to behold its beauty. It fills it every moment with infinite delight. God himself has no greater, no sweeter happiness than this, to behold and enjoy the brightness of this light. Here the love and rejoicing of God's heart is maintained in its infinite height.

How, then, would you have reason to rejoice if you should find Jesus Christ. How would you then find “the oil of joy for mourning and the garments of praise for the spirit of heaviness” [Isaiah 61:3].

If you find Christ, this glorious star, this excellent heavenly jewel, will be yours. He will be your own, your Savior, your Lord, your portion. Then may you say, as in Canticles 2:16, “My beloved is mine, and I am his.” O how rich and happy will you be then! What will all the riches of kings be in comparison of yours? If you find this, what can you desire more? Would you desire a better treasure than the most precious jewel to be found anywhere, not only in this lower world but in the highest heavens itself?

Would you desire to find a better treasure than the best and choicest jewel, that the King of kings himself possesses?

If this star arises in your heart, it will bring day along with it. The day will dawn when the day star arises. The night, by degrees, will vanish away till, at length, perfect day begins. And this light will be to you an everlasting light. If once this star rises, it will never set any more; and the joy and comfort that you have in its beams never will finally cease. And though it may sometimes go into a cloud in this world, yet it will break out again. And the time will soon come when all clouds and darkness shall be totally done away, and then this excellent light shall shine with perfect brightness upon your soul to all eternity without any interruption.

Is it not worth the while for poor, benighted, miserable, perishing souls to seek this light, this jewel? Consider that if you seek it, as you may do, there is great hope that you may find it. Some have now no opportunity to seek it and find; their opportunity is past. But 'tis not so with you: you have full opportunity, a blessed opportunity, if you can but find it in your heart to improve it, as you may do.

And if you find him, you are made forever. You will be a blessed person. Blessed are they that have truly found the Lord Jesus Christ. Their blessedness is worth millions of worlds. Happy is the man that has found such a treasure.

If you find this glorious star, and that shines upon your soul, the effect will be that your soul itself will be made to shine with an image of its glory. Isaiah 60:1, “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, for the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” If you find the blessed light of this star, you yourself shall hereafter shine as the stars forever and ever.

But if you never find Christ, you will lose your soul. Your precious soul, that is more worth than all the world, will be eternally lost, and you yourself will be a poor, lost, undone creature. Christ is not to be found in hell; if you don't find him now, you will never find him. The morning star never rises in hell.

Directions.

1. Be willing to lose all other things, that you may find Christ. Whatever has been dear or pleasant to you heretofore, if it seems to stand in the way of your finding Christ, be willing to part with it. If there is any sin that has been especially dear to you and you are loath to part with it, or if you reform from it for a time yet are loath to part with it, always let that be no stick with you. Be willing forever to lose the pleasure or profit of your dearest lusts.

And be willing to part with all the enjoyments of the world, if they stand in the way of your finding Christ. Make all stand by and give place to this great business of seeking Christ.

If it be needful that you shall miss of profit, or if it be needful you should part with your credit or with any manner of worldly comfort or convenience, be willing to do [it].

“Forget your own country and your father's house” (Psalms 45:10). Part with all that is dear and pleasant to you in your native country, i.e. in your old, natural state of sin and in this your native world that you naturally love and are acquainted with, as Abraham, as Ruth. And as the wise men from the east: they departed to a great distance from their own country to find Christ.

2. If you would find Christ, seek him as silver and search for him as for hid treasures. So we are directed to seek wisdom, Proverbs 2:1-05. What pains do men [take] for the treasures that are hid in the earth: how do they dig and search; what hard labor do they undergo in digging for silver and gold and after earthly jewels. And if any man has lost some precious thing, how diligently and narrowly will they search for it. So diligently and earnestly seek Jesus Christ.

3. Be willing to go through the difficulties of a wilderness travail to find Christ. So did the wise men from the east. As I told you before, there was a vast wilderness that lay east of Judea, {through which they travailed in seeking Christ}. There they met, without doubt, with great difficulties: a parched wilderness, a barren desert, hideous mountains, and rocks and pits, and serpents and wild beasts. It is a great undertaking to travail through such a wilderness, but 'tis well worth your while to find Christ. Expect no other than to meet with many difficulties, and be prepared to go through 'em. Let it be your resolution that whatever opposition, whatever self-denial, whatever labor, whatever suffering, whatever discouragement is in the way, you will press forward, you will go through all difficulties.⁷

Let there be as many mountains and rocks and fiery, flying serpents and roaring lions as there will, yet you will hold on your way till you find Christ, till you see that pleasant star rising out of Jacob.

4. Be willing to go a long journey to find Christ, i.e. be willing to continue earnestly seeking him a very long time, if you should be called to it. The wise men from the east went a long journey to find Christ. They came as it were from the utmost part of the earth. They probably came from Persia, which was a great many hundred miles. So the Queen of Sheba, she came from the uttermost part of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon [1 Kings 10:1-13]. And how do many men nowadays go long voyages for earthly treasures: how many go to the East Indies, and more than half compass the globe, to get gold and precious stones? And will not you be willing to go a long journey to find and obtain Jesus Christ?

Therefore take heed that it is not with you as it was with the children of Israel on their long journey in the wilderness, of whom we read that their soul was much discouraged by the length of the way [Numbers 21:4].

3. MS: “Instruction.” ↩

4. MS: “as.” ↩

5. The first part of this sentence includes a conflated paraphrase of parts of Isaiah 13:13 and (presumably) Revelation 6:14. ↩

6. See Christ the Spiritual Sun, above, in which JE explores the description of Christ as the Sun of righteousness. ↩

7. See the “Blank Bible” note on Matthew 2:10, which chronologically parallels the sermon, for language similar to that in this paragraph. ↩