have be taken themselves to him may be justified pardoned and received in favour friendship and fellowship with God that Believers may be keeped from tentation that tentations may be prevented and they made to persever That Satan may not make their Faith to fail them as he designs and the Lord gives account of his design Luke 22.32 Satan hath sought to winnow you but I have prayed that thâ— faith fail not That they and their prayers and service may be accepted that the suits and supplications that they present and put up in his name may get a hearing That they may be armed against the fear of death That they may be carried on in the gradual advances of Sanctification to the end of their Faith the salvation of their Souls that they may be glorified and be where he is to behold his glory In a Word he interceeds for every thing needful and for every thing promised to them his Intercession being as broad as his Purchase 5ly How doth he perform this part of his Priestly Office for his People it's performed by his entrie into the most holy place in our nature and name as having satisfied Justice and vanquished death where he appears before God for us So that we are to look to Christ's being in heaven not simply as glorifying himself or as glorified in himself for himself but as our head and forerunner to answer all that can be said against his Elect for whom he suffered and satisfied as it is Heb. 9.23 24. It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices for Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us So that our Lord Jesus by his entry into heaven doth declare I mean materially declare his victory in our name and appears there as a publick and not as a privat person His entry into heaven is not to be looked on as the entry of Moses or of Elias but as the entry of him who is head of the Elect whose entry there is a Declaration of what he would be at As by the power of his God-head he conveyed himself in thither So he hath taken possession in our name and according to the Covenant declares that these whose room he sustains may and must be admitted to glory And we must conceive an special efficacy in his being there for procuring to them what he hath purchased 2. His Intercession is performed through the efficacy of his blood and satisfaction flowing from the nature of the Covenant which hath a moral real cry for making effectual what he by his death hath procured As the Apostle speaking of Abels Blood and of making application of Christs Blood Heb. 12.24 Saith It speaketh better things then the blood of Abels For Abels Blood had a dmereit in it to cry guilt and could not but have a Curse following it because God had cursed the shedder of Blood But Christs Blood considered as the price of Redemption for the Elect hath an invaluable and unconceivable merit and worth in it and must have a cry for the blessings purchased to them by it 3. He performs this his Intercession by his constant care and by his continual willingnesse and actual willing that what he hath purchased for his Elect people may be applyed to them that such and such persons may be brought to believe that upon their believing they may be pardoned delivered from snares and tentations keeped in favour with God may be accepted in their performances c. For he had that prayer John 17.20.24 And he continues to have that same Sympathy His way on earth was alwayes sinless but now is glorious and majestick suited to his glorified state He continues to interceed according as he intended and his actual willingness is a main part of his Intercession which is not in renewing of acts to speak so but in his continuing desire willingness that what good he hath purchased may be conferred according to the Covenant For Christ in heaven is still a true man and hath a will as he had on earth continuing to seek that they may be glorified with him for whom he satisfied and this actual willing desiring and affecting that such a thing should be is called his Intercession because it cannot but be so esteemed as to have the effect to follow according to the Covenant as he sayes John 11.41 42. I thank thee Father that thou hast heard me and I know that thou hearest me alwayes This as to his actual willing cannot but be in heaven However we are sure that he is there and in our name and that his death and blood shed hath an efficacy to bring about what he hath purchased and that his will and affection are the same and have an efficacy with them and the effect certainly following so as nothing can go wrong there more then the man that hath a just cause in a Court of Judicature and an able Advocat with much moyen to agent and plead it before a Just Judge can be wronged or loss his Cause 6ly The grounds of his Intercession are 1. The excellency of his person who though he be man yet is he God also equal with the Father the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person and upholding all things by the word of his poweâ— As it is Heb. 1.2 Which cannot but add weight to his Intercession as well as to his Satisfaction the Person that interceeds being God The 2. is his Satisfaction which is the ground of his Intercession for upon his Satisfaction he maketh Intercession even as if a Cautioner would say I have payed such a mans Debt and therefore he ought to be absolved Therefore 1 John 2.1 2. These two are joyned We have an advocat with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins So Rom. 8.34 They are joyned It 's Christ that died who is at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for us 3. The Covenant of Redemption is the great ground on which his Intercession is founded Such and such persons are given to Christ and such priviledges and benefits offered to be conferred upon them on condition the Mediator would undertake and satisfie for them and he having undertaken and payed the price there is good ground for his interceeding for the making application of the purchase Therefore he sayes John 17. Thine they were and thou gavest them me c. This gives him right to plead and interceed for them seing he hath endured Soul-travel for them he ought to see his Seed and to have many Justified and fred from the curse and condemnation that they were obnoxious to as the fruit of that sore Soul-travel In and from the consideration of these we may gather what is the
〈…〉 keeped from many 〈◊〉 or when they asault thaâ— they prevail not utâ—erly over us Tâ—e Devil lyeâ— alwayes aâ— the waâ— and we are often secure but our Lord Jeâ—us to say so watch â—n the stor or rebound of the tentation and 〈◊〉 it off as to the designed prejudice Luke 22 32. Simon Simon Satan hath desired that he may have you that hâ— may winnow you but I have prayed for thee that thy saith fail not There are many tentations that he keeps off that they beat not on us and when they assault us he breaks the power of them tha the Believer succumbs not under them Hence it is that we are keeped on our feet otherwayes what would become of us when David fell in adultery and Peter denyed his Master what would have become of them had it not been for this there would be no living for us in the multitude of tentations if he were not interceeding for us what could we forsee of Satans snars what strength have weak and witlesse we to resist tentations what could we do with the spear of corruption when it rises like a flood upon us and Satan inforceth his assaults upon us a if he were speaking with mans voicâ— or mouth hiding us do this and that But there is an Intercessour that pleads our cause 3. We have by this Intercession the preventing of many Judgements temporal and spiritual when tâ—e ax is laid to the root of the tree and it is found barren and juâ—â—ice cryes and the command comes out Cut it down why cumbers it the ground How comes it that the ax strikes not why is it not hewed down There is an efficacy in Christs Intercession for paring of it a while longer as it is Luke 13.6 The dresser of the vineyard sayes spare it for this year and it 's granted O! but we would have a most sinful and miserable life if there were not an Intercessour at Gods right hand 4. Disposition for dutie and help in the performance of dutie flows from his Intercession It 's this that makes us pray and that gives us boldnesse in prayer and in other duties that there is such an high Priest over the house of God as it is Heb. 10.19 20.21 Iâ—'s this that gives us ground of approaching to God and to expect a hearing and as it is Luke 13.7 8. It is his digging and pains that makes the barren fig tree fruitâ—ul 5 It flows from this that our prayers are heard though there be much I firmâ—â— in them and that they are not call back in our â—aces as dung but are made s voury to Goâ— it 's through the efficacy of his Intercession We have a type of his Revel 8.4 5. where John sees an Angel come and â—and at the Altar having a golden censer and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it up with the prayers of all faints and the smoak of the incense which came up with the prayers of the sâ—ints ascended up before God It was savoury and acceptable to God and made the prayers of all Saints acceptaâ—le for the weight of Gods accepting their prayers is laid on the smoak of his incense It 's he that takes the â—â—â—gled and halfe prayers of his People and presents them to God and when they would be cast back as the supplication of an enemy He as great Master of Râ—quists through the acceptation that he hath with God makes them acceptable We should have no ground to pray with confidence nor acceptation to be heard if there were not a golden censer in his hand 6. We have from his Intercession an answer to all challenges There is much debt on our score the Law pursues hâ—rd and curseth us for our habitual enimity and all the particular Acts of it and his Intercession is the last defence on which the triumph of Faith rises by the other stepâ— Rom 8 43. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Is it because they want a chaâ—ge No for there is the Devil the Law and the Conscience to charge them But it's God that justifies who shal condemne It 's Christ that died yea rather is risen again who is at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for us We have a high Priest there that hath payed our Debt and pleads that the application of his purchase may be made forthcoming and who I pray will lay any thiâ—g to our charge in that Court where God is Judge and Christ is Advocat 7. More particularly our Lord by his Intercession taketh away the guilt of our holy things for when we approach to God in worship there is a carnalness and pollutedness in the best things we do much irreverence much unbelief much want of humility zeal sincerity and tendernesse So that all our righteousnesses are but as filthy rags But the high Priest Exod. 28.38 hath on his fore-head Holiness to the Lord And his Oâ—â—ce is to bear the iniquitie of the holy things of the children of Israel â—hat they may be accepted before the Lord and in this he was a Type of Christ the great high Priest going in unto Heaven to make Intercession for his Peoplâ— who bears not onâ—y their iniqâ—â—ties but the iniquity of their holy tâ—inâ—s Aaron answers for them as the Type Our Lord Jesus as the anti-râ—pe He being emâ—nently holiness to the Lord and having holiness on his forehead and being so well pleasing to the Father however our prayers anâ— praises and other parts of service be but little worth yeâ— he makes them acceptable and procures that they be not rejected when he is for this end imployed and made use of 8. We will find that strength to bear through under a Cross and a good oâ—tgate from under the cross comes from him as Intercessour O! so advertant as he is when his own are under the cross his bowels are then moved though not as they were on earth yet certainly they want not their own holy motion suitable to the glorious estate whereunto he is exalted Therefore Acts 9. He cryes from Heaven Saul Saul why persecuts thou me And Stephen when a stoning to dâ—ath sees him standing at the right hand of God executing this part of his Priestly Oâ—â—ice One part whereof is to keep off a cross and another part whereof is to help to get it honourably born and to a victory over it 9. Our perseverance in the Faith and perfect glorification is a fruit of Christs Intercession so that his own cannot but persevere and be glorified because he interceeds for them This is it that is spoken to several times John 17. especially verses 15. and 24. In the 15. v. I pray for them that they may be keeped from the evil He prayes for them that they may be keeped from the evil of sin especially he prayes for them that they may be keeped that they fall nor from the truth And v. 24. Father I will that these whom thou
for Christ hath payed the debt of them for whom he interceeds he hath purchased the same things for which he maketh Intercession they are the same acts of Faith that make use of both It 's the same Covenant and offer that warrands us to come to his Satisfaction for peace that warrands us to make use of his Intercession for the application of peace There is only this difference that by his Satisfaction he procures us peace and a right to it and our peace is made by his laying down before God the price which we by Faith take hold of but when he interceeds he hath nothing to pay but interceeds for what he hath purchased Therefore the Scripture hangs the application of his purchase upon his Intercession He hath bought peace and every good thing that we stand in need of by his death and by his Intercession he procures and makes the application Therefore it 's on this ground that the Spirit is poured out As among men it 's one thing to make peace and another thing to bring the offending person into familiarity with the offended party So it 's the same Faith acting on Christs Satisfaction for being brought in to Covenant with God as the meritorious cause that acts on Christs Intercession for application of that which he hath purchased but under a different consideration looking on his Satisfaction as procuring and on his Intercession for application of the same things A 2d Similitude to clear it is the people under the Law their making use of the high Priest There were two parts of the high Priests Office or two things wherein the people made use of him 1. For offering Sacrifice 2. For Intercession The high Priest went into the most holy once a year and sprinkled the blood and prayed for the people in which time they were standing without praying in the hope of having their prayers made the more acceptable This was by Gods appointment typically to prefigure our Lords Intercession in heaven It is true the high Priests praying for them was nothing to the Souls advantage of him or them if Christ was not made use of both by him and by them yet it was typical and to shew this much that they were to improve Christs Intercession as well as his Sacrifice and Satisfaction Therefore Luke 1.10 When Zacharias went in to pray the whole multitude of the people was without praying A 3d. similitude which we have hinted at in our going along is drawn from that way that is used among men for bringing two parties that are at ods and variance to be reconciled and at one which though we are not to conceive in that carnal manner yet it holds as to the substance of the thing as if the offending party durst not go his alone to the party offended but should carrie along with him a friend that hath place and power to prevail with the other when he undertakes to go along with him contrary to his deserving he will expect confidently to get a good hearing and if any should say to him how dar you go to such an one whom you have so provocked he would answer because I have a friend before me that will make moyen for me and when by that friends moyen he gets a favourable hearing and his suit granted he comes away rejoycing professing his great obligation to that friend So is it here as to the thing though as was said we would guard against carnal conceptions of taking up God and the Mediator as distinct parties to be made application to we shall insist no further for the time O! that there were seriousness to improve his Blood and Satisfaction for washing us from the guilt of sin and for making our peace with God and his Intercession for upholding our peace and communion with God and for the attaining of every good that he hath purchased and promised which is the sum of all God help us to the practice of it and to be conscientious in it SERMON LXIX ISAIAH LIII XII Vers 12. And he made intercession for the transgressours ALthough this be a most necessary thing and that whereof we have dayly and hourly use even to be improving Christs Intercession and although it be one of the most excellent and most comfortable things that a Christian hath to look to in his walk there being no condition but there is a ready help for it here yet this is our sinful misery that either through our blindnesse or our indifferency we are much out of capacity to improve aright so rare a priviledge For as much as we have heard of it are there many of us that can tell how Christs Intercession is to be improven Sure we may know that if ever we do it there is no thâ—nks to us for the doing of it And indeed it is of such a nature that we even cannot well tell whether it be better to speak of it or to be silent being so little able to make any thing plain of such a misterious yet very concerning thing Ye may remember the Doctrine that we proposed to speak to was this That our Lord Jesus hath this for a part of his Office to make Intercession for transgressours Being a real Priest he not only offers a Sacrifice but goes in and hath gone within the vail with the vertue of his Sacrifice to appear before God in heaven for us as all the Offices of Christ are advantagious and would be studied by us and we would study them well this hath many advantages with it and we would improve it least we frustrat our selves of the cluster of priviledges that is in this one Doctrine That Jesus Christ makes intercession for transgressours or sinners We shew the last day wherein the improving of Christs Intercession doth consist we shall now instance some cases wherein Believers in a special manner are to make use of it 2. We shall give some directions for clearing some questions or for answering some doubts about it And 3. We shall assigne some Characters of such as are rightly improving Christs Intercession For the First Christs Intercession ought to be made use of in as many cases as are possibly incident to a Believer and therefore we are not to restrict it to one case more then to another although indeed there be some wherein more especially we are called to improve it Now to clear it that there are some cases wherein in a special manner the Believer is to make use of this Office of Christs interceeding for transgressours It may be instanced in these 1. A Believer hath either liberty or he is in bonds and there is a special watchfulness called for in both these cases that the Intercession of Christ be not slighted 1. When he hath liberty and his spiritual condition thryves he prayes and his heart melts in prayer he hath what he would have the exercises of Religion become pleasant and he hath no will to come from them In this case the
consolation who are flâ—d for refuge to the hope set before them O! will ye not trow and credit God when He swears Among other Aggravations of Unbelief this will be one that by it ye make God not only a liar but perjured a heavy hainous and horrid Guilt on the score of all Unbelievers of this Gospel 4. To take away all Contraversie He hath interposed His Command yea it 's the great Command and in a manner the one Command of the Gospel 1 John 3.23 This is his commandment that ye believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and therefore the Offer of the Gospel and Promulgation of it cometh by way of Command Ho come believe c. whereby the Lord would tell the Hearers of the Gospel that it is not left to their own option or as a thing indifferent to them to Believe or not to Believe but it 's laid on them by the necessity of a Command to Believe and if ye think ye may and should Pray sanctifie the Sabbath or obey any other Command because He bids you there is the same Authority enjoyning and commanding you to Believe and as great necessity lyeth on you to give obedience to this Command as to any other do not therefore think it Humility not to do it for Obedience is better than Sacrifice For your further Encouragement to Believe I would say three words which ye would also look upon as Warrands to Believe and by them know that it is a great Sin not to Believe 1. Ye have no less Ground or Warrand than ever any that went before you had David Mâ—sâ—s Paul c. had no better Warrand my meaning is ye have the same Covenant the same Word and Promises Christ and His Fulness God and His Faithfulness offered to you the same Warrand that God hath given to all His People since ever He had a Church and do ye not think but it will be a sad and grievous ground of Challenge against you when ye shall see others that believe on the same Grounds that ye have sit down in the Kingdom of Heaven and your selves as proud Rebels shut out what ever dâ—fference there be as to the main Work of Grace and of God's Spirit on the Heart in the working of Faith yet the Ground of Faith is the Word that all hear who are in the visible Church and ye having the same Ground and Object of Faith in your offer there will be no excuse for you if ye do not Believe A second Encouragement is That the Ground of Faith is so solid and good that it never disappoints any one that leans to it and count the Gospel a feckless and insignificant thing who will it shall have this Testimony which damned Unbelievers shall carry to Hell with them that it was the power of God to salvation to them that believed and that there was nothing in the Gospel it self that did prejudge them of the good of it but that they prejudged themselves who did not lippen to it Therefore the Word is called Gold tryed in the fire all the Promises having a Being from Jehovah Himself on jot or one title of them cannot fail nor fall to the Ground 3. If ye were to carve out a Warrand to your selves as I hinted before what more could ye desire what miss ye in Christ what Clause can ye desire to be insert in the Covenant that is not in it It contains Pardon of Sin Healing of your Backslidings and what not and he hath said sealed and sworn it and what more can ye require Therefore we would again exhort you in the Name of Jesus Christ and in His stead not to neglect so great a Salvation O! receive the Grace of God and let it not be in vain In the third place Let us speak a word or two to some Objections or Scruples which may be moved in reference to what hath been said And First It may be some will say that the Covenant is not broad enough because all are not elected all are not redeemed nor appointed to be Heirs of Salvation upon which ground Temptation will sometime so far prevaâ—l as to waken up a secret enmity at the Gospel But 1. How absurd is this Reasoning Is there any that can rationally desire a Covenant so broad as to take in all as necessarily to be saved by it there is much greater reason to wonder that any should be Saved by it then there is if all should Perish beside we are not now speaking to the Effects but to the Nature of the Gospel so that whoever Perish it is not because they were not elected but because they believed not and the Bargain is not of the less worth nor the less sure because some will not Believe and to say that the Covenant is not good enough because so many Perish it 's even as if ye should say it 's not a good Bridge because some will not take it but adventure to go thorow the Water and so drown themselves 2. I would ask Would ye overturn the whole Course of God's Administration and of the Covenant of His Grace did He ever à priori or at first Hand tell Folks that they were elected who ever got their Election at the very first revealed to them or who are now before the Throne that ever made the keeping up of this secret from them a Bar or Impediment to their Believing God's Eternal Purpose or Decree is not the Rule of our Duty nor the Warrand of our Faith but His revealed Will in His Word let us seek to come to the knowledge of God's Decree of Election à posteriori or by the Effects which is a sure way of Knowledge our thwarting with His Word to know His Decree will not excuse but make us more guilty He hath shewed thee O man saith Micah chap. 6.8 what is good and what doeth the Lord require of thee and if any will scruple and demur on this ground to close the Bargain let them be aware that they provoke Him not to bring upon them their own fears by continuing them under that scrupling and demurring condition Ye cannot possibly evite hazard by looking on only and not making use of Christ therefore do not bring on your own ruine by your fear which may be by Grace prevented and by this way of Believing shall be certainly prevented But secondly Some may object and say I am indeed convinced that Believing is my Duty but that being a thing that I cannot do why should I therefore set about it Answ 1. This is a most unreasonable and absurd way of Reasoning for if it be given way to what Duty should we do we are not of our selves able to Pray Praise keep the Lord's Day nor to do any other commanded Duty shall we therefore abstain from all Duties Our ability or fitness for Duty is not the rule of our Duty but God's Command and we are called to put our Hand to Duty in the sense of our
the other necessarily along with it never love that Faith that leaves the Heart as a Swines-sty to Lusts that leaves it swarming with unclean and vain Thoughts or that leaves the Heart just as it was before or that Faith that only cleanseth the outside and does no more such a Faith however esteemed by the Man will never be accounted for true Saving Faith before God I do not I dare not say that Believers will always discern this heart-purity or cleanness but this I say that true Faith will set the Man a work to purify the Heart and will be making use of Christ for that end not only to have the arm of the dominion of Sin broken but to have the Soul more and more delivered from the indwelling power of it and this will the design that he will sincerely drive to get the Heart purified within as well as the outward Man inward Heart-abominations will be grievous and burdensome to him as well as scandalous out-breakings A second place is Gal. 2.20 21. I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life c If ye would know a Companion of true Faith here is one it hath a life of Faith with it There is one life killed and another life is quickened the life that is killed is that whereby the Man sometime lived to the Law I am dead to the Law says the Apostle a Man's good conceit of himself that once he had is killed and taken away he wonders how it came that he thought himself Holy or a Believer or how he could promise to himself Heaven in the condition he was in There is another life comes in the place of that and it 's a life that is quickened and maintained by and from nothing in the Man himself but it 's wholly from and by Christ The Believer hath his holiness and strength for doing all called for Duties and his comfort also from Christ and he holds withall his very Natural Life his present Being in the World from Christ his all is in Christ his stock of life strength and furniture is not in himself but he lives by a continual Traffick as it were on Bills of Exchange betwixt Christ and him when he wants he sends a Bill to Christ and it 's answered in every thing that he stands in need of and that is good for him He is a dead Man and he is a living Man and where-ever true Faith is there the Man is dead and there the Man is living Do not I pray mistake it by thinking that true Faith is but vented puts forth it self only in reference to this or that particular or at this or that particular time only for Fâ—ith must be exercised not only at starts as when when we are under Challenges for Sin or at Prayer but we must design and endeavour to exercise Faith thorow all our Life that is we must by Faith look for every thing that is useful and needful for us from Christ and be always endeavouring to drive on a common Trade of living this way we must be habituating our selves to seek after Peace Strength and Consolation and what else we need out of the fulness that is in Him This Life of Faith is to see the want of all things in our selves and yet to have all things by making use of Christ in all things contenting and comforting our selves that there is Strength in Him though we be weak in our selves and that He hath gotten the victory over all His and our Enemies and that we shall at last through Him be victorious in our own Persons contenting and satisfying our selves that He hath compleat Righteousness though we be Bankrupt and have none of our own and betaking our selves allenarly to that Righteousness for our Justification before God Thus making a Life to our selves in Him He living in us by His Spirit and we living in Him by Faith O sweet and desirable but mysteriouâ— Life The third place is Gal. 5.6 In Christ Jesus neither circumsion availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith that worketh by love He doth not simply say Faith but faith that works by love for Faith is an operative Grace and this is the main vent of it the thing by which it works it works by Love Faith is the hand of the new Creature whereby every thing is wrought it having Life from Christ and we may say that Love is in a manner the hand of Faith or rather like the fingers upon the hand of Faith whereby it handleth every thing tenderly even out of love to God in Christ and to others for His sake Faith works and it works by Love that 's a sound and good Faith that warms the Heart with love to Christ and the nearer that Faith brings the Believer to Him it warms the Heart with more love to others And therefore love to the People of God is given as an evidence of one that is born of God 1 Joh. 5.1 because wherever true Faith is there cannot but be love to the Children of God flowing from love to Him that begets them That Faith that 's not affected with God's dishonour out of love to Him and that can endure to look upon the Difficulties Sufferings and Afflictions of the Children of God without sympathizing and being kindly affected therewith is not to be taken for a sound Faith but to be suspected for a Counterfeit The fourth place is James 2 14. Shew me thy saith by thy works c. True Faith hath always sound Holiness with it in all manner of Conversation in the design and endeavour of the Believer which is withall through Grace in some measure attained What avails it for a Man to say that he loves another when being naked or destitute he bidâ— him depart in Peace be warmed be filled and yet in the mean time gives him nothing that he stands in need of would not such a poor Man think himself but mocked Even so will not God reckon you to be but Mock-believers or Mockers of Faith when ye profess your selves to be Believers in Christ while in the mean time ye have neither indeed Heart-purity nor Holiness in your outside Conversation that is but such a Faith as Devils may have that will never do you good Ye would believe this for a truth that there will never a Faith pass for Faith in God's account and so there should never a Faith pass for Faith in your account but that Faith that sets the Man a work to the study of Holiness that Faith that works by Love that Faith that purifies the Heart and that Faith that puts the Person in whom it is to study to have Christ living in him and himself living in Christ I promised to name a few Scriptures that speak out some more condescending Characters of Faith And 1. I would think it a good token of Faith to have Folk feared for missing and falling short of the Promises
that he should be opp essâ—â— and afflicted and brought as a lamb to the slaughter that he should be numbred amongâ—t the transgressours and that he should die and be buried make his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death all which are clearly fulfille in him and the clearing of his Sufferings whereof we spoke before clears this that not only he suffered but that he was brought so low in suffering 2 For the ground of his Sufferings its â—aid to be the sins of his own Elect He bare our griefs and carried our sorrows he was wounded for our transgrâ—ssions and bruised for our iniquities there was no guile found in his mouth the greatest enemies of our Lord could impute nothing to him Pilat was forced to say that he found no fault in him all which shew that it was for the Transgressions of his People that he suffered 3. As for Mens little esteem of him it is also very clear for He was despised and rejected of men we hid as it were our faces from him He was despised and we esteemed him not the World thought little of him and we that are elect thought but little of him and what is more clear in the Gospel then this where it is told that he was reproached buffeted spitted on despised they criâ—d away with him crucifie him He trusted in God let him deliver him but God hath forsaken him 4. As for the Promises made to him He shall see his seed he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands He shâ—ll see of the travel of his soul and be satisfied and by his knowledge shall many be justified c. what mean all these but that he shall die and rise again and have many Converts that God's work shall thrive well in his hand and that he shall have a glorious Kingdom and many Subjects which is caâ—led afterward his having a portion with the great and his dividing of the sooil with the strong All this was accompl shed in Christ when after his Resurrectâ—on many were win and brought in by the Gospel to believe on him and though Jews and eathens concurred and conspired to cuâ— off all Christians yet his Kingdom spread and hath continued these sixteen hundred years and above 5. As for the effects that followed on his Sufferings or the influence they have on the elect People of God as mâ—ny Converts as have been and are in the World as many Witnesses are there that he is the Messiah every converted pardoned and reconciled Soul seals this truth Hence 1 John 5.7 8 it is said There are three that bear witness in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one and there are three that bear witness on earth the Spirit in his efficacy the Water in the sanctifying vertue of it in changing and cleansing his People and the Blood in the satifying and justifying vertue of it and these three agree and concur in one even this one to wit that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and then it follows He that believeth hath the witness in himself because he hath gotten Pardon through him and therefore can set to his Seal to this truth and say truly Christ is the Messiah The Use is To exhort you to acquaint your selves with these things that serve to confirm this truth the book of the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistle to the Hebrews are much spâ—nt upon it even to hold out and to prove Christ Jesus to be the true Messiah and Saviour of his People If this be not made sure and sicker we have an unstable ground for our Faith and though it be sure in it self yet so long as it is not so to us we want the consolation of it and there is a twofold prejudice that cometh through Folks want of thorow clearness in and assurance of this truth 1. To the generality of Hearers there is this prejudice that they are so careless and little solicitous to rest on him And as it made the Jews to râ—ject him who to this day stumbâ—e at him on this same very ground that they know him not to be the Messiah the Christ of God in whom is accomplished all that was spoken of the Messiah to Christians not being through in it they do not rest on him nor close with him as the true Messiah 2. There is a prejudice also from it to Believers who having only a glimring light of Christs being the Messiah come short of thar consolation that they might hâ—ve if they were through in the Fâ—ith oâ— it there is this great evil among Christians that they study not to be solidly clear and through in this point to that if they were puâ— to reason and debate with a Jew if there were not a witness within themsâ—lves of it the truth of the Faith of many would be exceedingly shaken 2. From this That he never speaks of Christs Sufferings but he makes applicâ—tion of them he carried our Griefs he was wounded for our Transgressions c. Observe That Believers would look on Christs Sufferings as undergone for them and in their rooms and place We cleared before 1. That Christ suffâ—red for some peculiarly and not for all And 2. Thâ—t Believers would endeavour the clearing of their own interest in his Sufferings and that they have a right to them Now we shortly add this 3d. of kin to the former That B lievers and such as are fled to Christ for refuge would look on his Suffâ—rings as come under for them and these same Scriptures which we cited to confirm these will confirm this The reason why we would have you confirmed in this is Because 1 It is only this that will make you suitably thankful it is this which is a notable ground of that Song of Praise Rev. 1.4 To him that hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood c. 2. This is a ground of true solid and strong consolation even to be comforted in the applicative Faith of Christs purchase 3. It is the Lords allowance on his People which they should reverently and thankfully make use of even to look on Jesus Christ as wounded pierced and lifted up on the Cross for them and by doing this according to his allowance there is a paved way made for application of all the benefites of his purchase 3. From the scope looking on the words as spoken to remove the scandal of the Cross Observe which may be a reason of the former that folk will never take up Christ rightly in his sufferings except they take him up as suffering for them and in their room This look of Christ leads 1. To take up much of the glory of grace and condescending love to sinners 2. It leads to take up Christs faithfulness that came to the world on sinners errand according to the ancient transaction in the Covenant of Redemption as he is brougbt in
in whom his Soul delighted all along his sufferings His sufferings being for the sins of his Elect and he being to make application of his satisfaction and of the purchase made thereby to the Elect for whom he suffered and purchased these things by his intercession There was a necessity that he should come thorow otherwayes he should not have been a perfect and compleat Saviour Able to save to the uttermost these that come unto God by him as the Apostle speaks Heb. 7.25 But such a High Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the Heavens 3. It 's clear also if we consider the nature of the Covenant and of the promises made to him therein upon his ingaging and undertaking for the Elect as particularly vers 10. of this Chapter He shall see his seed and prolong his dayes his duration shall be for ever The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand and I will divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong Our Lord's Exaltation and victory over death being on the Lord's side conditioned to him the Mediator as well as he ingaged to suffer hence it 's said Psal 110. He shall drink of the brook in the way therefore shall he lift up the head The Uses are two The 1. whereof serves for clearing and confirming our Faith in a fundamental Article of Christianity without which it were needless for us to preach and needless for you to hear or believe and that is that our Lord Jesus suffered and also got the victory over suffering that he was raised from the dead and declared to be the Son of God with power intimating that Justice had gotten full satisfaction in evidence and testimony whereof he was declared free which is a main thing that believers have to believe even that we have an exalted Christ a raised up Saviour who could not be detained by all the Elects guilt in prison 2. It serves to be matter of strong consolation it puts life in all Christ's Offices and Qualifications and in all the Promises made to Believers to wit that our Lord Jesus is a living Christ over whom death had no dominion and he overcame it now to die no more So that as it is Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the uttermost these that come unto God by him seing he ever liveth to make intercession for them There is nothing that a Soul needs or can desire but it is to be had in him And if we would look to particular instances much consolation will arise from this ground For 1. Hath a believing sinner to do with challenges at the Bar of Justice is it not unspeakable consolation that their debt is payed Hence it 's said Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It 's God that justifies who shall condemn It 's Christ that died yea rather that is risen again It 's that which gives proof of compleat payment of the Elects debt and defiance to any challenges and accusations to come against the Believer to his prejudice because Christ hath not only died but is also risen Justice being well pleased with his satisfaction he is let out of the Prison 2. If the Believer hath to do with corruption with the Devil and with many enemies Is it not strong consolation that our Lord is risen and up that the Prince of this world is judged that Satan is troden under foot and that be shall and must reign till all his enemies be made his foot-stool 3. Our Lord's Resurrection hath a twofold further consolation with it to Believers 1. It serves to be a ground for the exercising of Faith on him that as he is risen so Rom. 6. may we expect that being spiritually dead with him to sin we shall be with him raised up to newness of life 2. It is a pledge of Believers Exaltation and compleat victory over Death and the Grave and over all Enemies for Christ being raised as the Common Head of all Believers who are his Members they by vertue of his Resurrection and by that same efficacy shall be raised And it 's impossible that they can ly under corruption This is our great consolation who are Believers and live under the Gospel that we have not these things as a Prophesie of things to come but as a plain History of things in part done and by and by to be compleatly done 4. It hath also in it consolation in respect of temporal difficulties what are they all They are not sure such as Christ's were and the day is coming when Believers shall have an out-gate from them all And therefore since our Lord is up let not Believers be afraid of any changes whatsoever 2dly Observe That our Lord Jesus being raised up from his state of Humiliation is invested and put in a most excellent and glorious condition even such as the Prophet cannot express Who can declare his generation saith he Who can declare how glorious he is now Take two or three Scriptures to confirm this 1. That Eph. 1.20 21. He hath set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principalities and powers and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church Our Lords Throne is exalted far above Angels and Archangels even out of sight The 2d is Phil. 2.9 Where having spoken of his Humiliation it follows Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven and c. His Exaltation is such as hath a Dominion and Supremacy with it over every name He having as it is Col. 1.18 in all things the preheminency The 3d. place is Heb. 8.1 Of the things which we have spoken this is the sum we have such an High Priest who is set on the right hand of Majesty in the Heavens Where Christs Exaltation is set out to be such as hath exalted him to the right hand of the Majesty on high Because this is one of the great Articles of our Faith to wit That Christ rose from death the third day and ascended into Heaven and is set down on the right hand of God We shall add a little more to clear it and 1. We would know that this Exaltation of our Lord is not to be understood of his exaltation properly as he is God in which respect there is no up nor down in him though his declarative glory was valid for a time during his humiliation yet in himself as he was God he was still glorious and blessed over all 2. When we speak of Christ's Exaltation as Mediator and as Man we do not mean that his Humane Nature hath lost the
essential properties of a Creature As if now when exalted he were wholly or only God or as if the properties of the Humane Nature were swallowed up in the God-head That were inconsistent with his being true Man and would marr and obstruct our consolation exceedingly But his Exaltation consisteth 1. In the manifestation and decâ—aration of the person that was humbled and brought low to be God Omnipotent Omnipresent Alsufficient infinitly Wise Powerful Just c. For though these properties agree not to the Humane Nature yet they agree to his person and they are manifested to be in him without question 2. In the Exaltation of the Humane Nature of Christ-man to an inconceivable hight of glory such as the Humane Nature united to the Divine Nature is capable of by very many degrees beyond any thing that the Elect whether Angels or Men are capable of The personal union making him capable of far more glory and his excellent Offices calling for it 3. This Exaltation consists in his absolute Dominion and Kingly Power which is more observably directly and plainly manifested in the dayes of the Gospel-administration then it was under the Law So that now he is clearly known in respect of his Kingly Office to be God in our nature cloathed with our flesh and to be Immanuel Goâ—â—â—th us and that this Immanuel hath aâ—â—â—â—â—er in Heaven and Earth committed to him He hath the keys of Hell and of death and is King of kings and Lord of lords is exalted far above all principalities and powers and is given to be head over all things to the Church In which respect that is most properly to be understood when it is said that he is set on the right hand of God So that now Jesus Christ God and Man in one Person is in highest Glory and in absolutest Dominion nearest unto God far above that which Angels or Saints are capable of As Kings use to set their greatest Courtiers and Minions whom they would honour most on their right hand and as Solomon set his Mother on his right hand so is our Lord set on the right hand of God in highest glory It is true that as God he hath an absolutely Soveraign and independent Kingdom yet as Mediâ—tor God-man he hath a dispensatory Kingdom next unto the Father in glory 4. This Exaltation consists in Christs being furnished with qualifications suitable to that glorious condition wherein he is invested And though these qualifications of the Man Christ be not simply infinit yet they are far above what we can conceive And the qualifications of the Person God-man are infinite in which respect he is Omnipotent All-seeing and infinitly wise to provide every thing that may be for the good of his Church and People and to prevent what may tend to their hurt Omnipresent c. The Uses are three 1. This would waken and rouze our Spirits to a high holy and reverend esteem of Christ he is God above all gods Kiâ—g above all kings he hath gotten a name above every name that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow not superstitiously when he is named but holily and reverently to think of him and to worship and serve him We conceive among many faults and evils in Believers this is a root-evil even low thoughts of glorious Christ so that because he hath become low to lift us up we are ready to think the less of him but O! that we could behold the glorious condition he is exalted unto and could look upon 〈◊〉 as ere long coming in the clouds with 〈◊〉 and great glory in the glory of his Father and all the holy angels with him it would furnish reverend thoughts of him though not to hurt faith and confidence yet to breed holy awe and reverence in us to him-wards The 2d Use serves to shew what a formidable party they engage to top with them who slight our Lord Jesus Christ what loss they are at who loss him and what a great aggravation their sin hath who sin against him ye that slight refuse and oppose him do ye know whom ye refuse and whose dominion ye spurn against and how hard it will be for you to kick against the pricks do ye know your loss who loss him and how it will aggrege your guilt who despise him the more glorious Christ be the greater will the sin of the Unbeliever be therefore be aware what ye are doing ye have a mighty great and strong party to deal with and when the great day of his wrath comes and when he shall appear in his glory how will you be able to abide the least touch of it it will aggrege your sin and highten your misery that he whom the Father exalted was undervalued by you that ye scorned to take a direction from him or to submit to a censure drawen forth in his name and said at least by your practice Let us break his bands asunder and cast away his cords from us but he hath set his king on his holy hill of Zion for all that and he that sits in heaven will laugh the Lord will have you in derision think on it seriously and know that he is no mean person whom ye slight and despise and though this may now seem less than other sins yet it will one day ly heavy on your score and Conscience above many yea above all other sins The 3d. Use serves to be a motive and encouragemt to them that hear this Gospel to receive Christ and for the consolation of Believers who have received him 1. It serves to encourage you all to receive him He is no mean person that wooes you but King of kings and Lord of lords and if ye think it a happiness to be for ever with him then let it move you to close with him if ye do so ye shall be made glorious as he is glorious a due proportion betwixt the Head and the Members being kept ye shall sit on the same throne with him and behold his glory as he prayeth John 17. I will that these whom thou hast given me may be with me to behold my glory this is certainly a great Bargain if Christ be glorious he calleth you to share with him in the same glory 2. It serves for the consolation of Believers who have received him ye have an excellent Mediator a most glorious Head and Husband and a most excellent Dowry and ye shall know it to your superabundant satisfaction and joy in that day when as it is Psal 45. Ye shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needle work and shall enter into the kings palace and share of his glory and see him face to face and sit with him on his throne even as he hath overcome and is set down with his Father on his throne labour to be stayed in the faith and hope of this good glorious and desireable day that is coming when we shall not only see but partake of and be fully and
Consider these sweet words Rom. 5.10 If he died for us while we werâ— yet enemies how much more shall we be saved by his life I shall close this discourse with these two words the 1. whereof is for encouragement If there be any body here that would fain have Christs love and partake of his death Take courage seing our Lord out of the great desire he had to promove the Salvation of sinners Gave him self to death and to the grave will he not willingly make application of his purchase to them when they seek it That he was willing to undergo all this is a far greater matter then to welcome a sinner coming home to him And if he did all that he did for this very end will he stand on it when it comes to the application The 2d word is that this is and will be a ground of conviction to all who think little of our blessed Lord Jesus and of his love and who will not part with a base lust for him and who will not make choise of him but will refuse reject undervalue and despise him with all that he hath done and suffered it will exceedingly aggravat your condemnation that when he was so willing to die for the good of sinners ye were not willing to live for his satisfaction Think on it O! think seriously on it These things are the truths of God and the main truths of the Gospel that ly very near the ingaging of hearts to Christ And if such truths do you no good none other readily will God give us the Faith of them SERMON XXXIV ISAIAH LIII IX Vers 9. And he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death because he had doâ—e no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth THis is a most wonderful Sujâ—ct that we have to think and sâ—eak of which concerns the â—uffâ—rings that our blessed Lord was pleased to undergo for sinnâ—rs And this makes it to be the more wonderful â—hen we consider what he was made and what his carriage was He was numbered with the transgressours and gave his grave with the wiâ—ked And yet he hath this teâ—â—imony that there was no violence in his hands nor any deceit in his mouth He was a sinless Mediator not only before men but before God These words considered in themselvâ—s hold out a little sum and short compend of an holy walk most perfectly and exactly fulfilled in the conversation of Jesus Christ He had done no violence or there wâ—s no violence in his hands that is there was no sinful deed contrary to the Law of God in all his practice and walk And there was no deceit or no guile in his mouth that is no sinful or deceiâ—ful expression Ioâ—um neither in deed nor in word was there sin in him He did wrong to none by his deeds and he deceived no body by his words This guile or deceit as it looks to the first Table of the Law imports th t there was no falshood nor corrupt Doctrine in his Ministry He did not beguile nor seâ—uce the souls of any in leading them wrong And as it looks to the second Table of â—he Law more immediatly it imports that he was sincere and upright that there was no deceit no violence or disâ—embling in his carriage so that whether we look to him â—s God's publick Servant in the Ministry or to him in his privat walk he was compleatly innocent and without all sin as the word is 1 Pet 2 22 Who did no sin neither was guile â—ound in his mouth However men accounted of him he was an innocent and sinless Saviour If we look on them as they depend on the former words they are a reason of that diffâ—rence which in his death and buriaâ— God did put betwixt him and others Though he was by wicked men put to death as a wicked person yet God in his providence so ordered the matter that he was honourably buried with the rich Why so Tâ—is is the reason of it because though they esteemed him a false Prophet and a Decâ—iver a Wine-bibber c. Yet he had done no wrong to any neither by word nor by deed and therefore God would have that respect puâ— on him after his death in his burial and so a remarkable difference to be made betwixt him and others Observe hence 1. That our Lord Jesus the High Priest of our profession that laid down his life for sinners is compleatly and perfectly holy He hath thâ—t testimony from the Prophet here that He did no violence neither was there any deceit in his mouth He hath this testimony from the Apostles from Peter 1 â—et 2.22 He did no sin neither was any guile found in his mouth From John 1. John 3 5 He was manifested to take away sin and in him is no sin And from Paul Heb. 7.27 He was holy and harmless and undefiled separate fâ—om sinners In this respect there is a difference betwixt him and all men in the world And iâ— wâ—s necessary and requisite for Believers consolation that it should be so It became us saith the Apostle to have such an High Priest 1. If we consider the excellency of his person he could not be otherwise being God and Man in one Person and having the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily 2. It was necessary if we consider the end of his Offices he being to offer up an acceptable Sacrifice to God behoved to be holy and harmless otherwise neither the Priest nor the Sacrifice could have been acceptable 3. It was necessary if we consider the dignity of his Office It behoved him to differ from the former Priests under the Law And if he had not been without sin he should not have so differed from them 4. It was necessary for the persons for whom he undertook these Offices Such a High Priest became them and another could not have done their turn All these we will find to be put together Heb. 7.26 27. Where the Apostle having said vers 25. That he is able to save to the uttermost these that come unto God through him subjoyns For such an High Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners made higher then the heavens who needeth not daily as these high Priests to offer up sacrifices first for his own sins and then for the sin of the people The most holy of all the Priests had sins for which they behoved to offer Sacrifices and so had the holiest of the pople but Christ was holy and blameless and had no sin and it behoved him to be so As I said just now his sacrifice could never have been accepted for others if he had needed to offer up sacrifices for himself The Uses are these Not to speak how it vindicats our Lord Jesus Christ from all these aspersions cast upon him by wicked men who called him a Glutton a Wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and Sinners a Deceiver c. He
own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree And when He had Offered up Himself as a Sacrifice he sat down on the right hand of majesty on high He is the alone Sacrifice that comes properly in the Room of Elect Sinners 2. As there behoved to be One to Offer the Sacrifice so Christ Jesus is the Priest that Offered up the Sacrifice of Himself He is not only the Sacrifice but the Priest And in this He differed from other Priests Heb. 7.26 Such an high Priest became us who is holy harmless seperat from sinners and made higher then the heavens and then follows who needs not dayly as these high priests to offer up sacrifices first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people for this he did once when he offered up himself There are three things ordinarly Attributed to Christ as to His Sacrifice to wit That He was the Sacrifice the Altar and the Priest 1. He was the Sacrifice in respect of His Humane Nature which we are not so to look upon as Abstracting and Dividing it from His Divine Nature For though He Suffered in the Flesh yet it was the same Person that was God that Suffered 2 He was the Altar by which His Sacrifice received a speciall Efficacy Vertue Value and Commendation As it 's said The Altar sanctifies the offering So Christ Jesus according to His God-head was the Altar which did put an special excellency on His Sufferings and made them to be of such Worth and Value Therefore Heb. 9.14 It 's said that he through the eternal spirit offered up himself without spot unto God It was the Suffering of the Person that was God that made the Sacrifice to be accepted 3. He was the Priest and that according to both His Naturs each Nature concurring and that joyntly as in one Person to the making of the Sâ—crifice Offered up to God acceptable 3. We have in Him a reall destruction but do not mistake the Word It is not so to be understood as if He were annihilated or had been utterly destroyed and undone but the meaning is this That He was Killed or put to Death and His Soul seperat from His Body in which respect He ceased to be what He was before for a time having been really Slain Dead and Buried And 4. All this was according to God's prescription and appointment in the Covenant of Redemption This commandement saith He John 10.18 have I received of my Father to wit that I should lay down my life for my sheep And most emphatically He says John 14.13 as my Father gave me commandement even so mark even so most exactly in conformity to the Commandement do I It was all as to every circumstance ordered according to the good pleasure of God who was pleased thus to bruise Him and to put Him to Grief The 1. Use of it serves To teach us how to Conceive and Consider of Christ's Death and Sufferings rightly to wit even as a Sacrifice designed by God to come in the Room of Elect Sinners and how to look upon His Death not as the ordinary Death of ordinary or meer Men who by necessity of Nature Die but to look on it as being appointed of God to be a Sacrifice properly so taken for the Sins of His People 2dly This serves to clear some Truths concerning our Lord Jesus His Sacrifice For we must consider it as satisfying to Justice and Meritoriously procuring the escaping from Wrath and Salvation of them for whom He Interposed It is from the gross Ignorance or from the wicked denyal of this ground that the damnable denyers of Christ's Satisfaction do also deny the Propriety of His Sacrifice on Earth and bound it to Heaven whereas it is bounded to His Death though by vertue of this One Offering He continues to interceed for us in Heaven 3dly It teaches Sinners what is the native Use which they should make of this Sacrifice They should look upon it as the only Sacrifice to prevent Eternal Death and the Curse of God anâ— so it demonstrats to us that either Jesâ—s Christ must be received by Faith and His Sacrifice rested on or we must resolve to meet with Wrath and the Curse of God our selves in our own Persons 4ly It serves to clear us anent the Way and Tract of Grace to wit how it came to passe that our Lord who was innocent and without Sin was so bruised and put to grief He came to be a Propitiâ—tion for the Sins of His People and sisted Himself in our Room as our Cautioner as a Sin-offering for us It would doubtlesse gnash many Questions and Doubts that arise in the Hearts of Believers if it were well understood They may say we should have been in such and such a sad condition this and that terrible thing would have come on us if He had not Interposed never enough can these words be spoken and thought of that we have 2 Cor. 5. ult He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 5ly It serves for notable Consolation to Believers who have betaken themselves to Christ and have many Challenges for Sin to buckle with That His Death was to be properly a Sacrifice for Sin and was so accepted of God in their Room So that ye see the right uptaking of Christs Death is a matter of no little moment Christ crucified being the very Substance of the Gospel It helps much to keep alive the Impression of our Sinfulness and of the Goodness of God and gives us Direction how to escape Wrath by puting Him in our Room There is nothing wherein Folks more readily miscarry in making of their Peace with God then in not making the right use of Christ and of His Sacrifice and Death Some praying for Pardon of Sin from Him and not for Him or for His sake when they know not what they are saying as we hinted at before Some praying for strength from Him for Dutie that they may do for themselves not considering that we are Justified by His Interposing in our Room and by Faith's closing with Him under that consideration as fisting Himself at the Bar of Justice and as being content to be a Sin-offering and the Lord accepting of Him in the Room of Elect Sinners This being well considered gives to Faith much clearness how to take Him up when the Soul honestly aims to partake of the benefit of His Sufferings 2ly For clearing this a little further we would know That there are as Divines observe Four or Five wayes how the Death of Christ is to be considered or how Christ in procuring by His Death Redemption Peace and Pardon to Sinners is holden forth in Scripture 1. He purchases Redemption and Pardon of Sin Meritoriously or He Merits it by His Death this Respects the Value of Christ's Sufferings and Satisfaction So that if we consider Christ in Himself and the Elect in themselves His Death
thereby he may have Satisfaction for all his Soul-travel And therefore we would exhort you on this ground to give Him your Souls to be saved by Him in order to His Satisfaction And what is spoken in common take it as spoken to every one of you in particular Men and Women Old and Young Rich and Poor If ye would do Christ a favour and pleasure give Him imployment for Pardon of Sin for Peace with God for Sanctification for Consolation and for Access to Heaven Or if ye would know what motive we would use to perswade you to make Use of this Gospel for all these take this for one and a main one That it will Satisfie and even to speak so with Reverence comfort Christ for all the Travel of His Soul and for all the hard Labour that He endured even as it Satisfies a wooer for all his Pains and Patience in waiting on after many refusals and slights when he gains the Womans Consent and when the Match is made up So it will Satisfie Him when He sees Souls by vertue of His Sufferings brought to believe on Him and to lay the weight of their Salvation upon Him for then He sees it was not for nought that He laid down His Life And truly if this Motive prevail not I know not what Motive will prevail But to make it the more clear and convincing consider these things 1. What it is that Christ seeks when He seeks Satisfaction for the Travel of His Soul He even seeks your benefit and good If He had sought that which would have been painfull to you ye would I suppose have judged your selves obliged readily to have gone about it had it been as we use to speak to have gone through the fire for Him But now when this is all that He seeks that by making use of His Sufferings ye may be Justified made Holy comforted in your Life and brought to Heaven at your Death should it not much more ingage you to give Him this Satisfaction 2. Who seeks this Satisfaction and to whom is it to be given Is it not to Our Lord Jesus Christ There is very great weight in this Part of the Argument that by believing on Him and making use of His Sufferings we not only satisfie and save our selves but make Glad the heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ who being considered as God needs no Satisfaction neither is capable of any Additional Satisfaction from Creatures He being infinitely happy and fully Satisfied in the injoyment of His own All sufficient Self Nothing from without can be added unto Him yet He having condescended to become Man and Mediator betwixt God and Man to reconcile lost Sinners to God He is graciously pleased to account it Satisfaction to Him for all His Soul-travel to have Sinners making use of Him for their good and if their be any weight in the Satisfaction of one that is Great and Good and good to us This hath weight in it that our doing so will satisfie Him that is Matchlesly Great and Good and superlatively so to Sinners 3. Consider the Ground on which this Satisfaction is pleaded for and it will add yet more weight to this Argument it 's Satisfaction to Him for His Soul-travel And can any find in their hearts to think but He should be Satisfied on this account Is there not reason for it Who as the Apostle sayes 1 Cor. 9.7 goeth a warefare on his own charges who plants a vineyard and eats not of the fruit thereof or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock Ah! Should Our Lord Jesus bestow all this Labour and Pains for nothing And further 4ly Whose Satisfaction is it that is sought This consideration is somewhat diversified from the 2. And would not therefore be looked on as any Tautology is it not His who is Lord of all and who will one day be Judge When if we had all the World would give it to please Him And who will pronunce the Sweetest or the Sadest Sentence upon us according as we have Satisfied Him in this or not Considering that it is He who desires this satisfaction from us should there not be an holy Diligence Eggerness and Zeal to get that performed that will Please and Satisfie Him Especially when the improving of His Sufferings may do it But 5ly From whom requires He this Satisfaction Is it not from them who like sheep have gone astray From these who have many iniquities lying on them and are lying under the Curse of God by Nature From these who must either be healed by His Strips or else they will never be healed but will die of their Wounds may not this make the Argument yet the more strong that He is not seeking this Satisfaction of strangers but of His own People nor of Righteous Folks but of Sinners who are lying under the Curse and whose happiness lyes in giving Him this Satisfaction And when it is thus with you That either your Sins must be taken away by Him or else ye must lye under them for ever That either He must bear the Curse for you or ye must bear it your selves If these things be obvious as indeed they are O! give Him the Satisfaction that He calls for and let Him not be put to say as it is Isai 49.4 I have laboured in vain and spent my strength for nought and in vain 3dly To press this yet a little more Although it should be sad to us that there should be need to press that so much on us which is so profitable to us and Satisfying to Him even that we would make use of Him for our Spiritual Good and Advantage These considerations will add weight to the Argument 1. What esteem Christ hath of it He thinks it as it were to be Payment and a sort of Compensation for all His Labour and Sufferings The Price was not Gold nor Silver nor any such thing which He gave for Sinners but it was His Precious Blood His own Life who was the Prince of Life and the Prince of the kings of the Earth And O! what a vast and infinit disproportion is there betwixt His Life and all our Lives and yet He accounts it a sufficient Reward if we will but give Him our Souls to be saved by Him in His own way and will make Use of His Death and Sufferings for that End And if it were possible that we could think little of our own Salvation and much of Christ's Satisfaction for His Soul-travel ought we not to think much of our own Salvation in reference to His Satisfaction And now when he hath joyned these together so that we cannot please nor satisfie Him except we give Him our Souls to save and cannot satisfie Him but that in doing so our Souls shall be saved Should it not induce us to make Use of Him for that End If He had commanded us to run here and there and to undergo some long and very toilsome Voyage or
purpose He sayes to His supposed Father and to His Mother Luke 2.49 wist ye not that I must be about my fathers business It 's His Bussiness because it is so on the matter it 's so accounted of and comes to be so in the end and therefore in the 10. v. of this Chap. it is said The pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand 2. As for His being the Lord 's righteous servant He is not only a Servant but an excellent Servant not Righteous simply as He is God only nor Righteous simply as He is Man But Righteous in the Administration of His Offices and in the Discharge of the Great Trust committed to Him Whence Observe That Our Lord Jesus in performing of the Office and Work of Mediation and Redemption is most Trusty and Faithful There is not any the least Fault or Failling in His performing of it He is the Lord's Servant that never wronged His Master who never miscarried in His Commission nor Mis-managed it in the least Saith He I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do If we look a litle to the qualifications that shine eminently in the Administration of His Offices they will make out this For He Administrats them 1. Wonderfully Wisely 2. Very Tenderly 3. Most Diligently and Effectually 4. With all Faithfulnesse Thus doth He Intirely and Holily without the least touch of unrighteousnesse perform all the Trust committed to Him and that both towards God and towards the Sheep So as He is eminently by the Lord 's own Testimony His righteous servant with whom He is well pleased and cannot but be well pleased It will not be needfull to seperat these qualifications of His Service in the Administration of His Offices In speaking to them we shall only desire you to take notice of some few Places of Scripture that hold them out The first whereof is that Isai 40.11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd he shall gather the lambs with his arme and carrie them in his bosome and gently lead those that are with young Never shepherd was so careful of his Flock for He seeds them and in Feeding them waits diligently on them and takes them to these places where it is best for them to Feed He thinks fit now and then it 's true that Dogs be hunded at them yet He is so warm to and tender of them that He gathers them with His Arme and He is so dexterous and skilfull in Conducting them that He gently leads them that are with young that is such of them as are in Pangs of the New Birth He will by no means over-drive To speak it with reverence He is as a skilfull Midwife to make these who are with Child safely to bring forth Well then may He get this Name of the Lord 's righteous servant The next place is Isai 42.1 2 3 4. Behold my servant whom I uphold my elect in whom my soul delighteth I have put my spirit upon him he shall bring forth judgement to the gentles He shall not cry nor lift up nor cause his voice to be heard in the street A bruised reed shall he not break and the smoaking flax shall he not quench he shall bring forth judgement unto truth c. Is there not here a wonderfull commendation that the Father gives to the Son and that the Gracious Master gives to the Righteous Servant in His Office He is His Elect choise Servant in whom His Soul delights He does not cry nor lift up His voice He is bussier about His Work then in making any din about it there is no frowardnesse in His way but He is tender of Souls that are like to a bruised Reed and smoaking Flax He will not break the one nor put out the other Where a Soul is weak or wounded He will not break nor bruise it by a rough touch or word and where there are the least breathings of sincere desires after Him He will not quench nor stiffle them and though the Task be great that He hath in hand He fails not is going through with it He sits not up nor is He discouraged under it notwithstanding all the Wrath He hath to meet with in His way Therefore when the Cup is put in His hand at which His holy humane Nature some way shrunk and skarred yet He takes it pleasantly saying But for this cause came I unto this hour and prosecuteth His Work Courageously and Constantly till He bring forth Judgement to Victory and till He gain His Point This shews Him to be a most Choise and Faithfull Servant A 3. Place is Isai 52.13 Behold my servant shall deal prudently c. It cannot be imagined what a Spiritual Cannie and Dexterous way He hath in the saving of Souls and how Wisely and Prudently He pursues that Work There is a 4th Place Psal 89.19 20. I have laid help upon one that is mighty I have exalted one chosen out of the people I have found David my servant The enemy shall not exact upon him c. He is so Dexterous and Powerful that the Devil shall gain no ground of Him but He shall gain ground of him and defeat him so that we come after only to gather the Spoil He is able to save to the uttermost as it is Heb. 7.26 all that come unto God through him And near the close of that Chap. It is said Such an high priest became us who is holy harmless seperat from sinners made higher then the heavens These are His qualifications He is an holy and harmless high Priest a sweet and to say so illesse Mediator by whom there was never any hurt His ill was never heard of in the place where He was He is Undefiled Pure and Spotlesse in the management of all the Trust committed to Him there was never any thing done by Him of which it could be said that it might have been done better He is seperat from Sinners and so another kind of high Priest then these who were before Him And all this both as to God so as He could say and go to Death with it It is finished And as to them that were intrusted to Him so as He couâ—d say Of all that thou hast given me I have lost none he makes a Full and Faithfull accompt of all committed to Him This is a plain and yet a most usefull Truth For Use of it Behold here and wonder at the way of Grace that not only gives a Mediator but such a Mediator who as it is Heb. 3 is faithfull over the house of God This is the very Life of our Consolation that we have an able Mediator a good Shepherd a Wise Prudent Tender One and Faithfull and indeed it would well become us to wonder more that the Lord in the way of His Grace hath thus condescended and it should exceedingly provocke us to be thankfull on this accompt that not only there is a way of Grace but such a way of Grace found
it will leave you in a worâ—â— condition then it found you in It 's not now whether ye will perish or not though that be a great matter the most Barbarous Heathens will readily think that Gods Justice is terrible to meet with but it layeth these two in the Ballance It 's either a most inconceivable condition beyond what others who have not heard the Gospel will come under if the Offer be slighted or Eternall Salvation if it be imbraced Woe to thee Chorazin woe to thee Bethsaida saith the Lord Matth. 11.21 22. For if the mighty works which are done in thee had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long agoe And it shall be more tollerable for Sodom in the day of judgement then for Capernaum who because they were lifted up to heaven in respect of a glorious Dispensation of Gospel-ordinances and improved them not shall be cast down to hell and whereon is this dreadfull denunciation founded Even on this ground just now hinted at the Gospel was more plainly and powerfully Preached to them then it was to Tyre and Sidon to Sodom and Gomorrah who had Lots Testimony but Christ's and His Apostles Testimony in a manner swallowed up that which Testimony they slighted Now pose your selves whether this Gospel hath not sounded loud in your ears have ye not heard it yes verily We may here allude to that Word Rom. 10.16 Doubtless ye have heard the sound thereof is come to you and ye shall never have that to object that ye heard it not This Text and this same Sermon on it and others will bear witness that through Jesus Christ ye had a way laid down to you for remission of Sins and for Justification and what will follow either ye must betake your selves to Christ's Righteousness for Justification and study to be Holy or else ye will bring upon your selves a more terrible Condemnation then came upon the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah who were consumed and burnt quick by fire and brimstone from Heaven And therefore there is ground here for all to look well about us what use we make of this benefit offered to us that we miscarry not and make not our selves most inexcusable for slighting of it I shall here speak a little to some sorts of Persons that ought mainly to lay this to heart 1. To some that are so utterly carelesse and indifferent in making their Peace with God that to this day all warnings threatnings and dispensations that they have met with could never prevail with them once to make them that far serious as to ask that Question what they should do to be saved to whom much preaching is but a beating in the Air to whom such Preaching is Fruitlesse and Christ uselesse It 's of these that He speaks Matth. 22. Who being invited to the Wedding They made light of it and went away one to his farm another to his merchandize There is a Generation of such Persons amongst us to this day who never thought seriously of the Gospel nor of this Doctrine which is the Substance and Life of the Gospel and without which we can enjoy no Mercy nor Benefit holden forth and made offer of in the Word But slight Pardon of Sin and think little of Justification who will the day is coming when it will be much thought of and when many of you if God prevent not would give all the World for an Offer of it and would be glad to be burnt with the World or covered with and smothered under a Hill or Mountain rather then to come and receive your fearful Doom and Sentence from the Judge because ye had this favour in your Offer and made not use of it A 2d Sort are a Prophane Company who if there carriage be looked on it sayes plainly nay it openly Proclames that such Men believe not that there is a Judgement coming otherwayes they durst not for a World live as they do Is this think ye the way to be Justified to be Laughing Sporting Gaming Tipling and Trifling away your time in spending it in Decking and Dressing your Bodies in bestowing of more time in one day on the Body then ye do in eight or many moe dayes on the Soul To be glutting in the World to be following the desires of your hearts and the sight of your eyes Prophane as ye are think upon it for we declare even unto you that there is a way how the ungodly may be Justified held forth and offered in this Gospel and if ye contemn it God shall vindicat His Grace and your trampling on it shall return on your own head A 3d. Sort are such as have never taken with their Sin nor with the fead betwixt God and them We invite the filthy to come and wash Sinners to come and get Pardon the Ungodly to come and be Justified but alace we cannot get Sinners that walk under the due sense of their Sin to Preach to I dar say that to many of you the Doctrine of Justification is in some respect needlesse I am sure for the time useless For ye were never convinced of your Sin nor of your hazard but thought that ye were alwayes sure of your Justification ye never evened your selves to speak so to Hell God alwayes ye think loved you and perish who will ye will not perish These and such as these have been your thoughts of your selves and of your state And we have more difficulty to get you prevailed with to think seriously of making your Peace with God then we would readily have in this to prevail with Pagans or with Adulterers and Murderers whose Natural Conscience would sooner be awakened then yours Justification is not a serious matter to many of you ye think to slip through Gods Judgement If ye be asked whether or no ye be Absolved yes that we are will ye say long since But ah how came ye to be Absolved was ye ever Chased and did ye ever flee for refuge to the Hope set before you was ye ever pursued by the Law to Christ and were ye ever made cordially to close with Him and to found your Plea on His Righteousness It will be strange if so many shall slip in to Heaven and never know how we grant there may be some brought in who have not distinctly discerned the manner how but that almost whole Congregations and Countreysides should be made Friends with God and never know or at least never kindly take with the Fead we professe we see not through it it 's to us an unintelligible Riddle and a Paradox Therefore be intreated to Reckon over again Though there be a Justification through the Blood of Christ to be gotten yet assure your selves that ye are not in the way to it while ye continue sensless of your Sin and of your hazard A 4. Sort are these who think that they have nothing to do with this Doctrine they are Rich they are Wise they are of honest Rank and
Christ in these and that they have the Grace from Him to preform them He furnishes the Stock and they Trade with it and so for the attaining of Life they are obliged to their own Trading which is in Words to pretended Grace but really to put our own Works and Righteousnesse in the Room of Christ's Righteousnesse as the ground or meritorious cause of Justification for the Grace given to us enabling us to Work is not Christ's Righteousness but our own because given to us and working in us and so it is alwayes our selves and our own Righteousnesse not Christ and His Righteousnesse that we rest upon A 2d Instance of some Folk that speak of Christ and of attaining Life through Him yet it is not in respect of His Merit but in respect of His Strength for such will say we hope through Christs Strength to come to Heaven their meaning wherein is that He will help them so to repent and believe so to be holy and resist tentations as they shall come to Heaven thereby as the deserving cause of their coming thither It 's true there is something right here when in it's own place if whole Christ were rested upon Justification being put in the first place and His Merit rested upon for that it were good that His strength were leaned to and made use of for performing the duties of Sanctification but when His Strength is rested upon as the alone thing and when we look not to Christs Purchase and Merit as the ground of our acceptation but to Christ as enabling us to do Duties to the end that we may give God a recompence thereby at the best it is but He and we together this certainly is wrong for nothing is proposed as a Satisfaction to Gods Justice here but what is immediately our own A 3d. Sort are somewhat wiser who it may be think that any thing that is in themselves is not worth the naming but partly through Christs Merit and partly through what they have and can do themselves or by these joyned together they hope to be saved This was the Doctrinal Error of the Galatians who attributed Justification to Christ and to the Works of the Law joyntly This way ascribs to Christs Righteousnesse this much that it makes our own Righteousnesse to be accepted as the ground of our Justification before God which in some respect is worse then the Covenant of Works for the Covenant of Works sought a perfect Righteousnesse but this way offers an imperfect Righteousnesse and to mend and to eke out our imperfect Righteousness it takes in the Righteousnesse of Christ but there is no such Covenant or way of Justification in Scripture for God made but two Covenants for men to attain Life by one of Works which is now impossible The other of Grace by which only it is possible to attain Justification and Life This makes a third Covenant or Contrivance by a mixture party of some Works in us and partly of some Grace in Christ to make up what is inlaking in our Works and yet this way is very pleasing to our nature and that to which we are much inclined for Justification for men are naturally disposed to think that they give Christ enough when they allow His Righteousness to make up what is defective in their own It 's true indeed that Christs Merits do wash our Duties but our Duties come never up to be the ground of our Justification in whole oâ— in part which is evident from this that ere Christ make our Duties or Performances acceptable He makes our Persons first to be accepted and that once being then any thing performed by us in Christ's strength according to the will of God is acceptable also But now we proceed further in the Words of the Text and before we come to the causes of our Justification we shall briefly Observe two or three things that lye obviously in our way The 1. whereof is this That the Absolving of a Sinner through the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse is the proper and native result of Christs Purchase and the great intendment of it His Sufferings and Soul-travel were undergone to procure Justification to many So that if we would know what is the Fruit of Christs Soul-travel here it is By his knowledge shall many be justified Therefore Rom. 5.9 It 's attributed to his Blood Being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath and 2 Cor. 5. ult He was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God through him That which I mean is this That Christs intendment in His dying was to redeem and really and actually to procure Absolution and Justification before the Throne of God to so many as should believe on Him Or we may take the Doctrine these two wayes which yet come both to the same account 1. Thus that the things which Christ intended in Hâ—s Death was not a meer possibility that Sinners might be Justified nor to lay down a conditional way of their Justification whereby â—hâ—y might come or not come to it and so to make it possible buâ— that which He intended was that their Juâ—â—ification might follow absolutly I do not mean instantly and without the interveening of a condition For here His knowledge comes in as the condition but that which I mean is that He diâ—d that their Justification might actually and certainly follow as a fruit of His Purchase In a word His Death and Sufferings were not to make Juâ—â—ification possible to all but that so many as He bargained for might be absolutely Justified or that many that is all the Elect might be actually Justified because He shaâ—l bear their iniquities therefore by His knowledge they shall be Justified We Observe it for these Ends or Uses 1. To give an answer to that question What is the native result of Christs Death to His People we say it is their absolute and actual Justification These that would extend the Grace of God and the Death of Christ so broad and wide as to leave out none say in effect that the design thereof was to lay down such a way as makes it possible to all to be Justified and yet such a way as makes it possible that none at all shall be justified for it hirgs justification on the free will of the creature so in striving to make Grace broader then God allows they come to make it none at all by leaving it on mans freewill whether it shall be effectual or not But blessed be God the Covenant of God was not on these terms for it is said here That by his knowledge he shall justifie many 2. It gives us these two practical Uses 1. It shews what should be our intendment in our Use-making of Christs Death and that is that we may be Justified and Absolved by it even to make use of it for attaining to Pardon of Sin and Peace with God If this be over-looked and neglected all
your very hearts open to it without which ye can never expect to be Justified before the Tribunal of God Now let God Himself blesse the same Word to you through Jesus Christ SERMON LVIII ISAIAH LIII XI Verse 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities SOme further and more serious apprehensions of our Sin and hazard would make the reading of these Words to be refreshful and welcome to us The stayed thoughts of an Arrestment laid upon us to appear before God's Tribunal and to reckon for our Debt would make us think much of a Cautioner The want whereof make the glad tydings of the Gospel to be tastlesse and without relish This is the great scope of these Words to shew how a Summonded Sinner arraigned at Gods Bar may be Justified and fred from the charge that he is lyable to For sayes the Prophet By his knowledge who is the surity of the Covenant shall many be justâ—fied That which we last left at was this That Faith in Christ receiving and resting on Him is necessary for the attaining of Justification so that in Gods way these are so linked and knit together That never one shall be Justified but a Believer Though there be a Righteousnesse in Christ yet it shall be derived and communicated to none come to Age but to these who by Faith betake themselves to Christ what way the Lord takes with infants Elect Infants I mean is not that which the Prophet aimes to speak of though it be Christs Righteousnesse that is communicated to them as well as it is to them who are at Age yet as to the manner of communicating it God hath His own way which we know not Now that we may learn in speaking to these Truths not only to get some Light for informing of our Judgement but also some help for our practice take two or three Uses ere we proceed any further The 1. Use then is To let you see the absolute necessity of believing in Christ Jesus and that it is as necessary for the attaining of our Justification as Christs dying is For our Justification is an effect flowing from several Causes and the want of any of them will mar it There must necessarly be a concurrance of them all to bring it about And therefore though their be an excellent worth in Christs Righteousnesse yet there is a necessity of Faith to lay hold upon it and to make it ours Gods order in the Covenant bears this out wherein he hath knit the Promise of Pardon of Sin and of Justification to Faith and resting on Christ and there is good reason for it As 1. The Lord will have a Sinner to know what he is obliged to Christ which Faith contributs much unto For Faith stands not in the way of the freedom of Justification but rather commends it for the Lord would have us know that we hold our Life of Him and not to receive Him by Faith is an evidence of highest presumption Therefore it 's said Rom. 4.16 It is by faIth that it might be of grace God hath chosen this way that the freenesse of His Grace in pardoning of Sin may be seen 2. The Lord by this le ts the unbeliever know that the reason of his own ruine is of himself There shall not be one unbeliever found that shall have it to say that the blame lay on God or on Christ because the offer was made to them on condition of receiving it by Faith and they not performing the condition their Guilt is aggreged by their slighting of the offer It 's true that we are not now dealling with them who down-right deny the Truth of this Doctrine but alace what better are they who do in their practice deny it and live senslesly and securely under the Gospel We conceive that there are Three sorts of Persons that have need of a Word to be spoken to them here 1. Such as live carelesly and securely as we just now said as if God required nothing of them at all as they were born they know not how so they live they know not how and when they are pressed to a change of their state and way they make excuses partly from the sinfulnesse of their Nature that they can do nothing partly from the abundant Grace of God that He must do all But it will never excuse you that ye wanted Grace and had a Sinful Nature for whom I pray can ye blame for it ye that make a bachel of His mercy if ye continue to do so shall never get good of it For He hath said that He will Justifie and save none but the Believer There is none other that hath the promise of Pardon it is not made to any thing that is to be brought forth or done by your own strength or by the strength of Nature or of free-will But God hath laid down this order and method and made it known that ye should believe and receive the offer of Christ in the Gospel renunce your own Righteousnesse and betake you to Christ's Righteousnesse otherwayes ye cannot on good ground expect to be Justified 2. Others will set about many things that are good but the Work of believing they can never be brought to mind or own they will make a sort of Conscience of Prayer of keeping the Church of reading the Scriptures c. But to give obedience to the Command of Believing they mind it not they can live and die without it This was the woful and Soul-ruining practice of the Jews of old as we are told Rom. 9. They took much pains to come by Righteousnesse but they attained it not because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law for they stumbled at that stumbling stone when they had gone part of the way as it were and come to the Stone of believing there they fell and brake their necks Hence there are many who promise Heaven to themselves and think that they have done something for it who yet never laid hold on Christ for their Justification but let me tell you that though you could go the greatest length in Holinesse that ever any did since Adams fall it will not avail you if ye neglect Faith in Christ I say not this to disswade you from the Duties of Holinesse God forbid but to divert you from seeking Justifiâ—ation by them study the Duties of Holinesse but seek alwayes by any means to be found in Christ and in His Righteousnesse and not in the Righteousnesse of your Duties as to your Justification It is true none that have any tollerable measure of Knowledge will profâ—sse down right that they lean to holy Duties yet many are so ignorant that they cannot distinguish betwixt Faith and Works and there are not a few who have a hope of Heaven such as it is who nâ—ver knew any thing of the exercise of believing A 3d. Sort are these who because of some
the Mediators performing according to His undertaking as well as there is faithfulnesse in Gods performing whatever He hath spoken of Him or promised to Him Ye shall only take two or three testimonies for this The 1. is Matth. 3.14 and 17.5 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased He undertook to satisfie for the Elects Debt and hath accordingly performed it so that the Father is well pleased A 2d is John 17.4 Where He appeareth before the Father and useth it for an argument for His Glorifying him with the same glory he had with the father before the world was I have glorified thee on earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do I have gotten a task and piece of Work committed to me and now it 's performed And that other Word which He hath on the Cross is remarkable to this purpose It 's finished Now the task and work is ended and I have no more to do but presently to passe to the Victory and to the dividing of the Spoil And a 3d. Testimony is our Lord Jesus His ascension to Heaven and the glory that He will appear in at the day of Judgement when His Kingdom shall be consummat That shall be a proof and testimony that He left nothing undone that was given Him to do that He bare the Sins of many that He gave His back to the smiters and His cheeks to them that pulled of the hair and that He satisfied justice freely and ascended to Heaven as it is 1 Tim. 3.16 Great is the mystery of Godliness saith the Apostle God was manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit fully absolved as having performed all whatsoever He undertook Seen of Angels and raised up unto glory Use This is also though a general yet a very comfortable Doctrine to the People of God in as far as from it they may know that there is no more to be payed to the Justice of God for the Sins of the Elect It hath gotten full Satisfaction The Cautioner hath payed all their Debt and is now exercing His Offices for applying to them His purchase making intercession for them overseeing them proving a Tutor to them guiding them and all that concerns them and His Church even doing all things well managing the affairs of His Fathers house as a Son and He cannot but guide all well Other sheep saith He I have which are not of this fold them I must bring in and they shall hear my voice and I give them eternal life and they shall never perish A most pregnant ground of comfort to the Believer that his eternal well-being cannot but be sure and sicker because it hath the Father and the Mediator their faithfulnesse ingaged for it If Jehovah perform the Promises made to the Mediator and if the Mediator perform His ingagement to Jehovah and raise up Believers at the last day then it must follow that their Salvation is sure This is the main ground on which Believers peace is founded and here we may allude to that Heb. 6. He hath sworn by two immutable things wherein it is impossible for God to lie that the heirs of promise who are fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them may have strong consolation even so here There are two immutable things to wit Gods promise to the Mediator and God will and must keep His Word to Him and the Mediators ingagement to God and He will and must keep His Word to Him And indeed we have good proof of both already For it was this ingagement that made the Father send the Son of His Love out of His bosome to be incarnat and to undergo the work of Elect Sinners Redemption and it was this ingagement that made the Mediator die of whom the Father exacted the Price till He declared Himself Satisfied and well pleased Now when these things that seemed most difficult are accomplished what can fail 1. Then there is here ground to fix our Faith upon and indeed there is need to fix it rightly The ground that our Salvation and Perseverance in the Faith is founded on is not our continuing to Pray to Believe and to Love God but this ingagement betwixt the Father and the Son and it is the cause procuring the other as an necessary and infallibly certain effect It 's mainly on this that believers shuld rest quiet and confident 2. It should make Believers humble and cheerful seeing though they be weak in themselves yet here they have a grip and hold for every hand as it were Jehovah's Word and the Mediators Word for their through bearing 3. It should much commend believing and the state of a Believer who have such ground of assurance The greatest Monarch on earth hath not such ground of assurance for his Dinner or Supper as the poor Believer hath for eternal Life For the Word spoken by Jehovah to the Mediator and the undertaking of the Mediator to Jehovah cannot fail and the Believer hath that to rest upon as the ground of his assurance More particularly The Articles on the Mediators side are as I said in these Four exprâ—ssions He hath poured out his soul unto death He was numbred with the transgressours he bare the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressours 1. He must die expressed in these Words He poured out his soul unto death Which implyes Three things 1. That it is an Article of the Covenant of Redemption and of the Mediators undertaking that he should die for Sinners And so it is a needlesse curious and unwarrantable dispute whether fallen man might have been redeemed any other way or whether a drop of His blood was not enough to redeem man because we see here it is Determined and Articled in the Covenant of Redemption that He should die Jehovah will have the Mediator dying And be possible what may to Gods Soveraignity which we would not make to clash with His Justice nor His Just ce with His Soveraignity this may bound and limit us that it 's concluded in this Covenant of Redemption that the Mediator shall lay down His Life and it being concluded It 's certain 1. That God hath given man a Law threatning him that if he should break that Law he should die 2. That all Mankind and so the Elect have broken that Law and so are lyable to the Threatning and Curse 3. That the Mediator became Cautioner and undertook to satisfie for the Elects Debt it was necessary that He should die because He undertook to pay their Debt and to satisfie for their Sin which was death by the Law to them and so the Justice of God is vindicat He cannot be called unjust nor partial nor unholy though He do not actually punish every Sinner that hath Sinned in his own Person because Gods holinesse and Justice appears conspicuously that He would rather execute what was due to the Elect on His own Son then that their Sins should go unpunished
he was made a Priest by the eternal oath in the Covenant of Redemption Psal 110.4 The Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever And hels said to have an unchangable Priesthood And there being but one way of access for Sinners to Heaven by Christ who is called the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world it must be holden for a sure conclusion that his Intercession is as old as his Sâ—crifice And he was intercessour before his Incarnation in these three respects 1. In respect of his Office being designed to be Intercessour For as we said being designed to be Priest and being Mediator before his Incarnation he behoved to be Intercessour also For that way he did Mediat and the benefits that came to Sinners from the beginning were the effects of his Intercession Therefore 1 Tim. 2.5 It 's said There is one God and one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus and there was never another real Mediator however Moses might be called a typical one 2. He was Intercessour before his Incarnation in respect of the merit of his future Sacrifice He did not before his Incarnation Interceed by vertue of his Sacrifice actually offered as now he doth yet there was vertue which flowed from his Sacrifice to be offered to the people of God as well then as now when it hath been long since offered The Sins of all that ever were pardoned were pardoned on the account of his Sâ—crifice And so also the spiritual benefits that did redound to them did redound to them through his Intercession then as now by vertue of the same Sacrifice because of the nature of the Covenant wherein it was agreed that his Sacrifice should be of the same efficacy before his Incarnation as after For the day and hour was agreed upon when he should offer that Sacrifice Therefore it 's said that in due time and in tâ—â— fulness of time he came and died 3. He was Intercessour before his Incarnation â—s after it in respect of the effects that followed on it to the People of God then and now The People of God before his Incarnation had communion with God and access to him though not generally in tâ—at degree of boldnesse they presented their Prayers through and were beholden to the sâ—me Christ for a hearing as we are and therefore his Intercession before his Incarnation extended to them as to us in these respects but with this difference that he procured these benefits to them by vertue of the Covenant and the efficacaâ— of his blood to be offered and now he procures them to his People since his Incarnation and ascension by vertue of the same ascension and by vertue of the efficacy of his blood offered As to the 2d How his Mediation and Intercession now differs since his ascension from his Intercession before it as to the strengthening of the consolation of the people of God For answer 1. We lay down this for a conclusion That though our Lord Jesus was Mediator both before his Incarnation and now yet since his ascension he hath a new way of Mediation and Intercession that exceedingly abounds to the strengthening of the consolation of his People therefore it 's ordinarly subjoyned to his ascension because of his new manner of discharging that his Office It is time there is no addition to that grace which is infinit in him as if he could be more gracious or as if in respect of the Covenant there could be larger promises as to essential things contained therein but by taking on our nature he hath a new way of being affected and a new way of venting his affection to us and is capable of another manner of touch with the infirmities of his people now that he hath humane bowels though glorified and glorious and the Faith of his People hath a ground superâ—dded whereupon to expect the communication of that grace mercy and goodnesse that is in him though all the effects that followed to his people before his Incarnation had respect to his future Incarnation So these effects had respect to his future Intercession in our nature as well as to his dying and laying down of the price for these that were admitted to heaven ere he came in the Flesh were admitted the same way that we are But 2dly and more particularly if it be asked wherein this addition to the consolation of God's People by his Intercession after his Ascension kythes or manifests it self We may take it up in these Six steps which will also serve to illustrat the manner of his interceeding 1. It kythes in this That he appeareth in heaven in our nature now the man Christ is in heaven interceeding and as Advocat answering for pursued Sinners or as Ambassador and Legat agenting the affairs of them that are given to him of the Father as it is Heb. 9.24 He is not entered into the holy places made with hands but into heaven it self to appear now in the presence of God for us Where the Apostle having been speaking of the excellency of his Priest-hood before and comparing him with the Type he tels that he is not entered into the typical tabernacle but into heaven it self to appear there in the presence of God for us And this is a solid ground of consolation to a poor believing Sinner that he hath Christ in his own nature in heaven interceeding that what he performed before by vertue of his Office and of the efficacy of his Sacrifice to be offered when he should be incarnat He now being incarnat and ascended performs it we having God in our nature become a man like unto us to care for the things of his people and if any new question arise or debate be started to entertain the treaty and to effectuat and make out their businesse that nothing that concerns them misgive 2. Their consolation is stronger in this respect That he is in heaven by vertue of the efficacy of his Sacrifice already offered As the High Priest when he had offered the Sacrifice took the blood with him within the vall and interceeded for the people So our Lord Jesus is not now interceeding by vertue of his Sacrifice to be offered but by vertue of his Sacrifice already offered having entered into heaven and taken the efficacy of his Sacrifice with him to enter it to speak so in the book of God to stand on record nay he standeth there himself to keep the memory of his blood fresh and by each appearance of him there who is never out of the sight of the Majesty of God there is still a representation of the worth and efficacy of his Sacrifice and for whom and for what it was offered 3. There is by the man Christ his being in heaven this ground of consolation supperadded That he hath a sympathie with Sinners otherwayes then before not as to the degree nor as to the intensness of his grace and mercy as I hinted before but
the thing received whereas when this is forgotten though Persons may be seemingly humble when they are praying for a thing in his name yet when they have gotten it they grow carnal and some way wanton and he is forgotten as if the benefit had never come from him But on the other hand when there is an acknowledgement of Christs Intercession when any thing is obtained it keeps as I said the Person humble and holily afraâ—d when it hath gotten as well as when it was seeking and it makes warrie in using and fearful to abuse any benefit received least it be found a wrong and indignity done to Christ and his Intercession 3dly We may instance the improving of Christs Intercession both in a most sad and in a most cheerful condition In reference to both which we should make use of Christs Intercession and it being readily one of these conditions that we are in either a more sad or more cheerful one we would think our selves defective and faulty as to our duty when we suit and conform not our way to our condition 1. If it be a more sad condition whether we be spiritually sad the Soul being heavy and refusing to be comforted or whether we be under a temporal outward diâ—consolat condition there is an use-making of Christs Intercession called for in both For a Believer cannot be in any so disconsolat a condition but he may draw refreshing from this Fountain in reference thereto and when we make not use of his Intercession in each as it occurs either anxiety and discouragement grows or we turn to some unwarrantable and crooked mean or way for an out-gate from such a disconsolat condition Now to make use of and to improve Christs Intercession aright in such a disconsolat condition and case 1. The Soul would gather and compose it self to search and see what is useful in Christs Intercession for it's case seing that sad case cannot be imagined but Christs Intercession is a cordial for it upon which as a solid ground the Soul may be quiet that it cannot miscarry in that for which it is now in so much bitterness seing Christ Jesus hath the managing of it's case and cause Hence it may reason thus although I was unwatchful and this condition came on me unawars and I was surprised with it yet it 's not any surprise to him He was not sleeping though I was he knew what was coming though I knew not therefore this will not hurt nor prejudge my main cause because it comes through his hand 2. There is an improvement of his Intercession in this case when the out-gate though desperat as to us is yet hopeful by vertue thereof and when this is made the only or main ground of our hope to wit That there is a friend at the court of heaven who can order our cause and make such a thing work for our good It puts spirits in us to pray and actively to go about the use of the means whereas when we use not the means or use them without due respect to Christs Intercession the businesse becomes heartlesse hoplesse and desperat 2. If our condition be or seem to be more solacious and cheerful there would be an improving of Christs Intercession least our cheerfulnesse grow carnal which it cannot otherwayes be but when he is acknowledged to be the author of our solace and cheerfulnesse when he is depended upon for the continuance of it and when the praise of it is returned to him it bounds the heart that there is no acceâ—â— to grow carnal in which respect these things wherein others grow carnal such as health strength meat drink apparel commodious dwelling the recovery of themselves of their children or of other neer relations or dear friends from sickness c. Aâ—e thus spiritualâ—zed and made spiritually refreshing to the peopâ—e of God because there is an up taking of them as coming through Christs Intercession and a returning of thanks to him for for them Hence Heb. 13.15 It 's said By him therefore let us offer the sacrifices of praise to God There being the same access to praise in our spiritual cheerfulnesse that there is to pray in our heavinesse and difficulties He that is the ground on which we ought to found our prayers is also the ground on which we ought to buiâ—d our praise And it 's he that puts life in and value upon the one and the other 4ly We may instance it in this case when the Believer is under challenges it 's then a special season to make use of Christs Intercession and to put the Lybel in his hand to answer it which is done by Faith's resting on him as a Priest for the obtaining of an absolution from that charge although we cannot answer it our selves yet expecting an answer through him according to that famous place Rom. 8.34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect Who will lybel them among other reasons of the interrogation which hath the force of a negation this is one It is Christ who died yea rather who is risen again who is at the right hand of God making intercession for us This furnisheth an Answer to the Charge put in their hand Or when the Believer is under calmnesse and tranquility his Intercession would be improven for there cannot be a sanctified calmnesse without depending on him by vertue of whose Satisâ—action and Procurement we have it and by vertue of whose Intercession it 's continued The Reasoâ—s why we have hinted at these things are 1. To hold out to you the concernment of Christs Intercession for we cannoâ— be in that case but the Believer hath therein to do with it 2. To shew our great obligation to God who hath given us such an Intercâ—ssour for all these cases In this one word there is stored up a treasure of consolation for all cases that a Christian can be in 3. That we may be helped to our duty of improving and making use of him according to the several cases we are or may be in For though his Intercession be mainly to be made use of when we come to pray yet not only then but at other times and in other cases as when we fear any hazard when we need any good thing when we expect it or would be cheerful on the receipt of it and when we are in any difficulty and know not what to do we will find something called for from us in reference to his Offices and to this in particuâ—ar 4. Because this use making of Christs Intercession commends Christ and makes him lovely to us And indeed that which makes Believers think so little of him is in part at least the little improving of â—is Intercession which shâ—uld be made use of in the least things if it were when we need any thing in our thought to look up to God through him and to found the hope of our getting it on this ground be-because there is an Intercessour If this
also make application of his death and he will do that likewise whereupon is founded his intercession that the benefit of his death and satisfaction may be applyed and made forthcoming to them which is set down in these Words He made intercession for the transgressours wherein also we are to carry along the thoughts of his condescending love who not only will satisfie for the Elects Debt and procure to them Righteousnesse and eternal Life but when they continue in opposition to him will make intercession for the application thereof to them He having a number given to him not only to pay their Debt by dying for them bat also actually to apply the benefits of his death and purchase to them according to that John 6.39 This is the will of him that sent me that of all that he hath given me I should lose nothing but raise them up at the last day These Four do plainly and summarly comprehend the Mediators ingagment in the Covenant of Redemption as to his priestly Office and having spoken somewhat to the first three we shall insist a little on this last concerning his Intercession For clearing whereof when he prayed on the Cross Luke 23.34 Father forgive them for they know not what they do this was in part fulfilled But his Praying or making Intercession for transgressours is to be considered Two wayes 1. As he was a man under the Law and so he was to pray for other transgressours then the Elect only as Stephen following his example did Acts 7.60 When he said Lord lay not this sin to their charge 2. As he is Mediator and so he prayes only for the Elect as is clear John 17.9 And his Intercession thus considered is alwayes effectual and runs in the channel of the Covenant of Redemption and is commensurable and of equal extent with his Death His Intercession in the First sense is more largely extended he might considered as man under the Law have interceeded for his Enemies that were not Elected Therefore we take his Intercession here in the Second sense as he is Mediator and as Matthew chap. 8.17 applyes his bearing of our griefs and carrying of our sorrows spoken of verse 4. of this chap. To his carrying of our temporal bodily infirmities So there may be an allusion to this in the Lords Prayer on the Cross We mark this distinction because Arminians that pretend to an universal Redemption plead also for an universal Intercession and on this ground they say that Christ prayed for many that went to hell But we answer that our blessed Lord Jesus did not there if he prayed for any such interceed as Mediator properly but as man under the Law even as in his prayer in the Garden when his holy humane nature sinlesly skarred at the bitter cup He prayed Father if it be possible let this cup depart from me and it was agreeable to the humane nature to seek innocently to eschew the drinking of such a cup But when in the same Prayer he speaks as Mediator He sayes not my will but thy will be done And for this cause came I into this hour So when he preached as man and a Minister of the circumcision he sayes O! Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thee and thou wouldest not Whereas if we consider him as Mediator he doth what he will and calleth none but they come and calleth none to be gathered but such as are gathered The Intercession here meaned is that which is an Article of the Covenant of Redemption aed a piece of Christs Priestly Office To which the promise in the first part of the Verse is made and therefore we have here clear accesse to speak of it according as the new Testament holds it out to us 1. Then we Observe this Doctrine from it That according to the Covenant of Redemption our Lord must nor only die but also interceed for transgressours or sinners or it is a part of our Lords Office agreed upon in the Covenant of Redemption that he should be Intercessour for transgressours It 's on this ground that it 's said Psal 110.4 The Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck He is a Priest a ter Melchisedeck's order and not after the order of Araon and Rom. 8.34 He is said to be at the right hand of God making intercession for us It is said likewise Heb. 7.25 That He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him Seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them So 1 John 2.1 It 's said If any man sin we have an advocat with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and frequently else where it 's in Scripture attributed to him If it be asked why behoved Jesus Christ the Mediator to be an intercessour we answer for these Three reasons 1. It was suitable to the glory of God that the great Lord Deputy appointed for the ingathering of Elect Sinners should be furnished with this Office and his intercession is derived from it Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the uttermost seing he ever liveth to make intercession for us He cannot sit up nor fall in proving himself to be an able Saviour because he lives for ever to interceed 2. It 's suitable and meet for the glory of the Mediator and of his Priesthood that he should not be a Priest for a time only but for ever Therefore when he is brought in as a Priest Psal 110. compared with Heb. 7. He is preferred to the order of Araon and said to be a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck by so much as he is surety of a better Testament They were many because they were not suffered to continue But this man because he continueth for ever hath an unchangeable priest-hood 3. It was meet in respect of the consolation that Believers in him have from this his Intercession there had been a defect in the consolation of Believers if he had not been Intercessour but seing as it is Heb. 10.19 We have such an high Priest over the house of God we have boldness to enter into the holiest by a new and living way and may draw near with full assurance of faith And that which gives us this boldness is that as it is Heb. 4.15.16 We have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are Then follows Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of geace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need 4. We may add That it 's suitable for this reason to wit if we consider and compare the Type with the Anti-type Exod. 30.10 and Levit. 16. compared with Heb. 9. The high Priest had Sacrifices prescribed to him for himself and for the people when he went once in the year into the most holy with the blood of the Sacrifice which signified
that Christ after the laying down of his Life was to enter into heaven there to appear in the presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 This is a point which may yeeld us many and great Uses as 1. For Information to clear us â—bout Christ's Intercession 2. For Consolation To shew us the advantages that flow to Believers from it 3. For Direction in dutie to learn us what use we should make of it And 4. For Reproof and Conviction for and of the Sin of our much slighting and neglecting this part of Christs Priestly Office As for the First It serves we say for Information and to let us see that we have an excellent high Priest who is not only answerable to the Type in dying but also in interceeding who died that he might make application of what he purchased by his death For further clearing and prosecuting of this Use we shall speak a little to some few questions As 1. What this Intercession is 2 Who Interceeds 3. For whom 4. For what 5. How this Intercession is performed 6. What are the grounds on which it is founded For the First What this Intercession is in general and for clearing it ye would consider what it is not and 1. There is here no humbling of the Mediator in way of Supplication as he prayed when on earth or as we pray or as one man intreats or interceeds with another That way of Interceeding is inconsistent with his exaltation his humiliation being perfected and by and he being now exalted at the right hand of God 2. It 's no verbal thing no bringing forth or uttering of Words There is no such language in our Lords Intercession and so we are not to conceive of his Intercession as if he made a formal prayer That manner of dealling or proceeding is not now betwixt God and the Mediator 3. Neither doth this his Intercession consist in any new particular act of his will as if he did act or will something that he did not before therefore he is said to Live for ever to make intercession and to abide a Priest continually His Intercession is continual as is clear Heb. 7.3 25. His being in Heaven and appearing there in our name is his Intercession And therefore 2. Let us see in the next place what iâ— is And more generallâ— we may take it up in such expressions as the Scriptures make use of to hold it bâ— and in the similitude and analogie whence it 's borrowed for it 's a borrowed thing as the Covenant of Redemption is from compacts among men because we cannot take up divine and misterious things except they be exprest after the manner of men for our capacity Such is this as if a Kings Son were interposing for a person not in good terms with the King or for whom he would have some benefit from the King his Father The similitude seems indeed to be drawn from this yet it must not be astricted thereto Therefore 1 John 2.1 He is called an advocat with the Father and yet he doth not advocat our cause verbally as we said before And 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one God and one Mediator between God and man Where the Apostle is speaking of praying And here he is said to make Intercession for us as the high Priest did in name of the People in a word it is our Lords Jesus Christ his mâ—king of what he hath purchased and hath ingaged to him in the Covenant of Redemption effectually forth-coming for the behove of his People as if he were Agenting their cause as an Advocat in Heaven which is so held forth for the help of our Faith that the Mediator having made his Testament and confirmed it by his death is looking well that his death and the benefits purchased to Elect Sinners thereby may be made effectual and is as it were lying as Agent and Advocat at Court to procure and bring about this businesse according to that John 17.19 20 24. For their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also may be sanctified c. Neither pray I for these alone c. and Father I will that these whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am It 's even that all may be made good to them for whom he Sâ—nctified himself and the effectual making out of that which he hath purchased to them that is called his Intercession 2dly Who makes Intercession It is not enough that Christ as man makes Intercession but it is Christ Mediator God and Mâ—n in one Person It being an error of the Papists to make the Intercession of Christ to be a thing performed by the humane nature only which lesseneth the consolation of Believers and is inconsistent with the Union of the two natures and detracts from the weigâ—t that his God-head gives to his Intercession 3dly For whom does he interceed There are here extreams on both hands to be eshewed 1. Some make his Intercession over broad as if he interceeded for all the World this he expresly denyes John 17.9 I pray not for the world and his Intercession being grounded on his death and satisfaction it must be of equal extent therewith and must relate to the Covenant of Redemption wherein so many were given him to be redeemed by his death 2. Others make his Intercession too naâ—row in making it only for them that actuaâ—ly believe He also refuts this opinion John 17.20 By saying Neither pray I for these alone but for all that shall believe on me through their word And it is alwayes on this ground that he interceeds to wit because they are given So that it 's for the Elect converted or unconverted that he interceeds The reason why we mark this is to overturn thereby Two corrupt distinctions that are made use of to bring in an universal Intercession as well as an universal Redemption 1. Some make his Intercession common to all but we according to the Scripture acknowledge no such Intercession to belong to Christ especially as Mediator however he might as man under the Law have prayed for some that shall not be actually saved as he commands one man to pray for other men yet not for all men simply 2. Others make a conditional Intercession for all as they make a conditional Redemption of all and make both absolute for Believers only which is also corrupt For considering the object of his Intercession as Mediator to be only the Elect as indeed they are it overturns both this and the former opinion if he prayed not for all he died not for all the one whereof is grounded on the other 4ly For what doth he interceed In general for all that is conditioned to him in the Covenant for the behove of his people He prayes for the fulfilling of all the Articles of the Covenant as that all the Elect who are not regenerat may be regenerat and made Believers That many through his knowledge may be justified That these that are regenerat and Believers and by Faith