with God through this Intercession of Christ Eph. 1. 6. Who hath made us accepted in the Beloved All that glorious Chain of Mercy that is made over to and fastned upon the Believer hath its tye to Jesus Christ Predestination Adoption Justification Sanctification and Salvation are all laid upon Christ It is a piece of usual weakness in poor Believers or rather Doubting-souls to judge of their Acceptance with God or Non-acceptance according to their Deservings or ill-deservings and the nature and frame of their Spirits and Duties when they have been drawn out in Frames and wonderfully rais'd in Duties they think now they shall find Favour But it is not that which gives your Suits Entertainment in Heaven it is as God accepts the Soul in Christ notwithstanding all the Failings and Infirmities of Believers they are entertained with a well done good and faithful Servant upon the account of Christ Again They are sure to be secur'd against the prevailing Power of all their Enemies let Beelzebub with all his Train and Forces be united against them he must be broken to pieces for Christ is at the right hand of the Father interceding for them Sin shall have no Dominion over them Rom. 6. 14. God will bruise Satan under their Feet shortly Rom. 16. 20. Hence it is they may be sure none of their Enemies shall prevail Luke 1. 74. Again They may be sure to receive more Grace and Life more abundantly God giveth more Grace James 5. 6. whilst Christ's Interest holds in Heaven whilst he hath a Fullness of Grace to bestow Believers may expect more Access to the Throne of Grace at all times in his Name is another procured Advantage of his Intercession it is by the Blood of Christ Believers come to God with Boldness Heb. 4. 14. 16. Heb. 10. 21. 22. Hence the Blood of Christ makes Peace and an open door for Believers to approach to God Eph. 3. 12. Because he is there at the Throne of Grace he will open his Door to his Children and let them in within the Veil what tender Mother would shut the door against her weeping Child Again They have not only Access to the Throne of Grace but Success they shall speed when they cry with all their Hearts Joh. 14. 13. 14. Whatsoever you shall ask in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son if you shall ask any thing in my Name I will do it Christ was leaving his Disciples and they might tremblingly dispond how shall we live when thou art gone the World will persecute us and Satan will devour us Why says Christ I will protect you then as well as now and hear your Requests you think it is only your Concernment to have your Prayers answered no it is the Concernment of my Father too his Glory lies at stake for it O! what bold Encouragement is this Rev. 8. 3 4 5. Prayers ascended up and presently comes down Thunders Noises Lightnings and Earth-quakes as a Symbol of God's Reception believe it Saints have still as great Potency with God on the Account of Christ as ever and their right Prayers shall surely find an answer at the Throne of Grace Again They shall certainly have Perseverance in Grace for the Certainty of a Believers Graces depend not upon his own Strength that it should dye if he cease to exercise it but is secured by the Intercession of Christ Luke 22. 32. Jer. 32. 40. Another Effect of Christ's Intercession is this The Saints have Oneness with and an Interest in the Love of God Jo. 17. 21. 22. And they shall be sure of Grace and of Glory they shall have a Mansion in Heaven Jo. 14. 3. Jo. 17. 24. Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am to behold my Glory CHAP. VI. Shewing the Willingness of Christ that Sinners should be saved the Sin and Misery of such as refuse Christ with Reproof to several sorts of Persons WE have a little opened the Transcendent Glory of Christ as Mediator wherein so much of his vast Treasury lies we come now to make some Application of this glorious point First By way of Information First How wonderfully are poor Sinners indebted to the Lord for giving such a Mediator as Jesus Christ God-Man none else in Heaven or Earth could have procured the Salvation of lost Sinners had he been God only he had had neither Right or Capacity to suffer had he been only Man he could never have born up under the dreadful weight of these Sufferings Death would have had Dominion over him his Sufferings unsatisfactory his Intercession rejected and all the hopes of Sinners perished but now he is able to save all that come to God by him O admire at and rejoyce in this Love of God in giving Christ Jo. 3. 16. God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son Life and Liberty Health and Strength Peace and Plenty are excellent Mercies but the giving of Christ is transcendently super-eminent Can you bless the Lord for lower Springs O adore these upper ones this Grace that brings Salvation Secondly See the Willingness of Christ that Sinners should be saved he would never else have assum'd the work of a Mediatour nor have given himself for this very end that Sinners might be brought to God 1 Pet. 3. 18. He would never have undertaken the bloody way of Death nor drunk off such a bitter tremendous Cup that Sin had brewed for him he would not have interceded with God for Terms of Reconciliation nor undergone such direful unconceivable Torments had he not been willing Sinners should live hath Christ so carefully prepared the Ministration of Reconciliation and absolutely commanded the Promulgation of the Gospel to every Creature Mark 16. 15. Hath he laid such a Necessity on his Messengers and Ambassadors and oblig'd them by the Penalty of fearful Woes to preach the Gospel and he is not willing that Sinners should be saved 1 Cor. 9. 16. See how he charges his Servants to be instant in Season and out of Season to reprove rebuke and exhort with all Long-suffering and Kindness 2 Tim. 4. 1. To perswade and beseech men to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 11. 20. And will he reject them when they come He would not have griev'd and mourn'd so much at Sinners Unbelief and out-standing the day of Grace had he been unwilling they should have liv'd Joh. 5. 40. Luke 19. 41. 42. Behold how he waits till the last hour of the Day and treats his Enemies with an affectionate Kindness why will you dye O House of Israel He heaps up Coals of Fire on their Heads and draws them with Cords of Love and with the bands of a man Mat. 5. 45. Hos 11. 4. he offers Violence by his Spirit to unwilling Souls and attempts the most charming Persuasions to allure them to him he thunders and lightens as on Mount Sinai and threatens them terribly if they will
precious Graces and Endowments in him which will much illustrate the personal Riches of Christ and be of wonderful Encouragement both to Saints and Sinners to think better of him and to hasten after a Dependance on him Now the first thing we shall treat of is the goodness of his Nature He is Goodness it self Psal 34. 8. O tast and see that the Lord is good This Psalm was penn'd by David when he was driven from Achish and was in sore danger of his Life in this Condition he seeks the Lord and found help by reason of the Goodness of God that is God in Christ indeed there is Creation-Goodness and providential-Goodness but the choicest is his Redemption-goodness that Goodness which he lets out to poor Sinners in a Mediator Thus is Jesus Christ the Gift of his best Love and is qualified and disposed to commend the infinite Goodness of God to perishing Sinners his Goodness is great Zac. 9. 17. called the Riches of his Goodness Rom. 2. 4. Now this goodness of Christ appears First In it's Extensiveness he is good to all Mans goodness is contracted and narrow its greatest Proportion reacheth but a few none but Friends Relations and such as may oblige or requite them are usually Sharers in it but the goodness of Christ is immense it reacheth to all the work of his hands Psal 145. 9. The Lord is good to all by him all things consist Col. 1. 17. He upholdeth all things by the word of his Power Heb. 1. 3. The very vilest and most unworthy Grace-abusing Soul have some kind of share in Christs Goodness he upholds his very Enemies and maintains the Being and Enjoyment of such as oppose him Secondly In it's Invincibleness all the Provocations of his Enemies cannot impede it's designed current he is resolved they shall have a share in his Mercy though they oppose their own Mercies nay all the Unkindness of his people cannot conquer it nor many Waters quench it He maketh his Sun to shine upon the good and bad Math. 5. 45. It 's strange to think how rare a portion of Mercy the wicked have in their day he that cryed Father forgive them they know not what they do cries Father spare them to see what they will be Thirdly It 's Freeness 't is not extracted but flows out of it 's own Accord Isa 65. 24. Before they call I will answer c. It hath no Creature-merit to provoke it Exek 16. 6. I said unto thee when thou wast in thy Blood live when there was no Beauty to attract it no desires to draw it forth mans Worthyness is no ground for the Communication of Christs Goodness what Lovelyness had the Ephesians to deserve it's liberal Effusions Eph. 2. 1. Fourthly 't is unwearied enduring Goodness it hath not the Shallowness of a slender Vessel which is easily emptyed but the Unfathomableness of the Ocean that can never be exhausted the vast Expences and Communications of it from the Creation of the World to it 's final Destruction will not diminish it one Iota his Anger indeed hath but a momentary Continuance Psal 30. 5. But his Goodness endureth for ever Psal 52. 1. Fifthly 'T is Communicative goodness running over flowing down and liberally diffusing it self for the good of others so 't is defined to be a Vertue by which a person of his own accord is abundantly prone to acts of Benignity Christ's Goodness is manifestative distributive and it's Dispensations are as natural as the irradiating Beams of the Sun Secondly Another excellent Disposition in Christ is his Love not only his Phylanthropy or good Will he bears to all men and the Desire he hath of their Salvation Ezek. 33. 11. But his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his special Love from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acquiesco such an ardent Affection hath the heart of Christ for a person adhering to him that it greatly acquiesces in and is fully contented with him Eph. 2. 4. Such is the Sweetness of Christ's Nature that it is full of Love God is Love 1 John 4. 16. And as the Father hath loved me so have I loved you Joh. 15. 9. Now this Love of Christ to his people is First A supreme Love the chiefest Love he hath a love of Benevolence to all Mark 10. 21. He beheld the young man and loved him but the Love he bears his own is transcendent and exceeds the Love of men and Angels Joh. 15. 13. Secondly An infinite Love Love that passeth all Knowledge exceedeth all Dimensions Eph. 3. 18. Chist's Love saith one hath Length in it because he loved his Elect from Eternity to Eternity O unmeasurable Length that hath no end his Love hath Breadth in it because not the Jews only but the Gentiles also are sharers in it 't is extended to the whole World Math. 28. 19. It hath depth in it because it brought him down into the Deeps not only of the Earth but of unconceivable Sufferings It brought him as low as the Grave yea to the very Borders of Hell Isa 53. 3. It hath height in it because it ascended far above all Heavens that he might fill all in all become our Advocate there prepare us for it and it for us and at last takes us up to himself that we may behold his Glory Thirdly An eternal Love Jer. 31. 3. I have loved thee with an everlasting Love All Creature-affections have their Beginning and End their Risings and Settings but the Love of Christ is as himself everlasting Rev. 1. 13. The transiency of his peoples Love cannot injure its permanency for where he loves he loves to the end Joh. 13. 1. Fourthly An unchangeable Love it hath no Ebbings and Flowings Waxings and Waneings Risings and Fallings but is th◠same Yesterday to Day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. It knows no Alteration Addition or Diminution the Heavens shall wax old as a Garment and be changed Heb. 1. 11. 12. But Christ and his Love is invariable Mal. 3. 6. 'T is true the Manifestations of his Love is mutable he may smile to day and frown to morrow but not the nature of it the Cisterns may be dry but not the Fountain Fifthly A free Love it hath no Consideration of Creature-merit fore-seen Faith or persevering Holiness Hos 14. 4. I will heal their Back-slidings and love them freely What reason can be given that of the same Lump should be made one Vessel of Honour and another of Dishonour nay that persons of the most exquisite Abilities natural Endowments unspotted Moralities and uncontroulable Sovereignty should be rejected and left to the hardness of their Heart and the righteous Judgment of God and that others of the meanest parts inconsiderable Qualifications prodigiously vitious Lives and miserable Penury should be elected to the highest Priviledges received into the most intimate Communion and made partaker of the highest Glory Sixthly The Spring and Fountain of all that Love that is in Believers to
God and one another Creature-affections are but streams deriv'd from this Ocean Candles lighted at this Sun We love him because he first loved us 1 John 4. 19. The ascending Love of Saints is a faint Reflection of the descending Love of Christ the same Waters that empty themselves into the Sea have their Birth from it Seventhly An active love Creature-affections are dull and sluggish and savour rankly of the Vessel they are in but Christ's are vigorous and laborious a parental Love that sets his Wisdom on designing his Faithfulness on securing and his Power on accomplishing the chiefest Concernments and highest good of his Children Lastly a fruitful Love full of good Works 't is commended love Rom. 5. 8. manifested love 1 John 4. 9. Not love in the Womb or abortive but love in the Birth I shall name some of it's Fruits to his People First the giving of himself for them Eph. 5. 25. Who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2. 20. This is the highest Testimony of his Love imaginable he could not have bestowed a better thing he that gives himself gives all He gave himself to procure a purchased Treasure to enrich them to destroy the partition Wall and fill up that bottomless Gulf that lay in their way to glory he gave himself to discharge their Debts remove their Guilt justifie their Persons fulfil all Righteousness and make good the new Covenant Secondly The opening of his heart to them John 15. 14 15. I have called you Friends for all that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you O! the wonderful Love and Kindness of Christ to his People that he communicates his Secrets and opens to them the Thoughts of his Heart from all Eternity he leads them into his retired Chambers and secret Recesses and feasts them liberally with hidden Manna and excellent Discoveries of the things freely given them of God Saints cannot ascend up into Heaven and see the Length Depth Breadth and Height of those glorious things God hath prepared for them but they have the Priviledge to wade deep into sanctuary Waters and the Spirit of Grace is freely given them to reveal the Depths of divine Love Thirdly The Communication of all good things to them He will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withhold Psa 84. 11. Psal 34. 10. O boundless Love indeed he may bestow some sublunar Portions on his Enemies but his Children only shall have the Inheritance they shall have his Wisdom to direct them his Goodness to supply them his Power to protect them and his Spirit to instruct them Joh. 16. 13. 14. And O what a wonderful Gift is the Spirit he will shew them their Duty reprove them for their Sin answer their Doubts clear up their Way and enlighten them in their Darkness he will open their Hearts enlarge their Souls regulate their Wills illuminate their Minds and sanctifie their Persons he will communicate Counsel reveal Christ discover their Inheritance and seal them up to the day of Redemption Fourthly His minding and pursuing all their Concerns in Heaven the Business Believers have in another Country where they cannot come is very weighty they need Receptions of more Grace every day Strength against Corruption Wisdom in their Difficulties Patience in their Sufferings and Faith in their Temptations now Christ doth agitate their Cause becomes their Factor and dispatches their Work Exod. 28. 29. Heb. 7. 25. Isa 49. 15. 16. Fifthly His gracious Presence with them Joh. 14. 18. I will not leave you comfortless Heb. 13. 5. Jer. 32. 40. 2 Cor. 6. 16 He may hide his face for sometime and suspend the gracious light of his Countenance he may stand behind the Wall and step behind the Curtain yet these are but momentary not continual and imaginary not real Sixthly His bearing with them and forbearing of them 1 Cor. 13. 7. Charity beareth all things it cannot easily be overloaded what gross Indignities and abusive Injuries doth Christ patiently receive from the hands of his People Amos 2. 13. Psal 95. 10. Seventhly His thinking often and well of them and his being a Friend to their Friends and an Enemy to their Enemies where a mans Affections are there will his Thoughts be also the Adulterers Thoughts are on his Uncleanness the wordly man 's on his Treasures and the Ambitious on his Honours but Christ's are on his People Isa 43. 4. They are his Hephzibah's the delight of his Soul his Jewels and Treasures Isa 62. 4. Mal. 3. 17. He esteems their Enemies as his Exod. 23. 29. and favours their Friends with peculiar Blessings Exod. 1. 20. Gen. 39. 5. Eighthly His being troubled with their Troubles and delighted with their Welfare Joh. 11. 33. 35 36. when the Lord Jesus came to raise Lazarus from the dead and saw Mary weeping and the Jews that were with her 't is said He groaned in Spirit and was troubled nay when he came to the place where Lazarus lay he wept whereupon the Jews said Behold how he loved him and his Heart is the same now in Heaven Isa 63. 9. True love will suffer in the Tryals of it's Friend Acts 9. 4. hence the Afflictions of Saints are call'd the Afflictions of Christ Col. 1. 24. what Hester said concerning her people may be more truly spoken by Christ Hester 8. 6. How can I endure to see the Evil that shall come upon my people He is grieved at the Evil of their Sins or Sufferings Mark 3. 5. Eph. 4. 13. and takes wonderful Pleasure in their Welfare Poov 8. 31. no tender parent can more earnestly desire the Happiness and rejoyce in the Advantages of his Children than Jesus Christ in his Psal 147. 11. If the Joy of his Ambassadors doth much depend upon the Prosperity of the Souls of their Auditors 3 Epist Joh. ver 4. Then surely himself is not altogether unconcern'd Lastly His preparing a Heaven for them John 14. 2 3. In my Fathers House are many Mansions I go to prepare a place for you c. The Lord Jesus knows that his departure from the World with the sad Consequences thereof would breed great Trouble in the Hearts of his Disciples therefore labours to prevent it by telling them of the occasion of his Departure that it was for their sakes and in their business and though the World would abuse them when he was gone and cast them out of their House and Country yet he tells them he had a Father in Heaven that would receive them and he was going thither to prepare a place for them and there was store of room for them in Heaven The word translated Mansion here signifies an abiding fixed place Here you dwell in Tabernacles but in Heaven are places for you out of which you shall never be turned more Don't expect much Happiness in the World but look to Heaven for all your satisfying Comforts There 's a Rest for you after all your wearying Duties and Troubles there are
He that gives a Kingdom at the Journeys end will not deny Bread and Water in the way He will provide for their Bodies and Souls for their Persons and Families Sixthly Correction is theirs Psal 89. 32. Heb. 12. 8. Correction is the Saints Priviledge and great advantage they have need of it 1 Pet. 1. 6. Though for a season if need be you are in heaviness c. And they have advantage by it Psa 119. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted Heb. 12. 10. But he for our profit Seventhly Protection is another priviledge of Children He will keep them as the Apple of his Eye Psa 17. 8. He will hide them in the secret of his Tabernacle Ps 31. 20. He will keep them Day and Night Isa 27. 3. He gives his Angels charge concerning them Psa 91. 11 12. Heb. 1. 14. Lastly The Kingdom is theirs O think what rest what joy what holiness what perfection what immutability and Eternity of Glory is in Heaven and say all this is my Estate by Adoption I shall one day be possessed of it here I am poor but there I shall be rich here I am empty and hungry there I shall be full here I am despised there I shall be honoured here I have not a house lay my head in there I shall have a Mansion to all Eternity here one and another says come sit at my Foot there shall I sit on a Throne and be a Crowned King for ever Here my Comforts go and my troubles stay worms breed in all my enjoyments but thereis no Rust nor Moth no Decay nor Death O blessed state indeed that Believers are Adopted to in Christ Fifthly The last considerable thing in Adoption is the Duties that flow from such a state and this is part of their priviledge also as being the Fruit of an Adoption-state and that which they are purchas'd as well as oblig'd unto by the blood of Christ all the filial duties of Believers are the fruits of Adoption-Grace Gal. 4. 6. Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts The Spirit of his Son to make you really such and to form in you the Nature and work you to the duty of Sons So that Adopted Souls are not only chosen of God to be heirs with Christ but are also begotten of God into the Nature and Image of Christ Rom. 8 29. Whom he did foreknow them he did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son that as Christ carryed himself as a Son so should the Children of God in their measure and time and that by the same Spirit Now these duties which Gods Children are spirited and engaged to are First To love God as their Father even from a sense of his Fatherly love 1 Joh. 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy Soul and with all thy might The Lord thy God because he hath pleased to make thee his Son and to place thee in so near and high relation to himself Psa 31. 23. O love the Lord all ye his Saints You that are set apart for him and Sanctified by him O you of all Persons from the sense of this relation should love him This is a filial duty and so essential to Sons as that 't is put for the ground of all their Obedience Joh. 14. 13. If a man love me he will keep my word and my Father will love him that is manifest his love to him as a Father This is not a forced but a natural love to God arising from that new Nature and Spirit of Adoption in them so that a Child of God may as well cease to be a Child as cease to have a disposition to love him Indeed a gracious Soul may not alwayes actually love God but he hath a disposition to love him and can appeal to God that he knows he would love him and there is nothing in all the World he can value like him Secondly To obey him 1 Pet. 1. 14. As obedient Children not fashioning your selves according to former Lusts 'T is a great duty of Children to obey their Parents in all things lawful and so they that are Gods Children are much more oblig'd to obey God whose relation much more binds them being so far above all other relations whose love constrains them 2 Cor. 5. 14. whose Laws invite them they being holy just and good Rom. 7. 12. Whose rewards also encourageth them there is a reward in keeping them Psa 19. 11. and a reward upon those that keep them Rev. 2. 10. Now this Child-like obedience differs from all other obedience in that 1. 'T is the fruit of faith Joh. 8. 47. He that is of God heareth Gods word that is obeyeth Gods word but what an Obedience is this see the former ver It is an Obedience from faith ver 46. If I say the truth why do ye not believe me 2. 'T is the labour of love 1 Thes 1. 3. Remembring without ceasing your work of Faith and labour of love 3. 'T is delightful Obedience Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inner Man Thirdly A fear of offending him Hos 3. 5. And shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter daies This is a filial fear arising from their relation to God as their Father 1 Pet. 1. 17. And if you call on the Father c. pass the time of your sojourning here in fear This is a fear springing from and consisting with love there is a fear that love casteth out 1 Joh. 4. 18. perfect love casteth out fear that is slavish fear 'T is such a fear as keeps the Soul close to God and not drive him from him Jer. 34. 40. O how fearful is such a Soul of offending God Job 34. 31. He will do all he can to prevent sin Psa 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against thee Fourthly A zeal for Gods glory Psa 69. 9. The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up That is the zeal which I have for thy house or for thy pure Worship against them that would corrupt it hath like fire consumed me Zeal is the burning fire of love which will not bear any thing that dishonours God So Phinehas could not endure to see God dishonoured by the whoredomes of his People but in his zeal executes the Law upon one of the highest offenders Numb 25. 11. The want of the zeal made Laodicea in danger of being spued out of Gods mouth Rev. 3. 16. and therefore God calls her to Repentance and to this zealous Spirit in his Worship ver 19. Be zealous and Repent This zeal was that Child-like temper that God commended in Ephesus Rev. 2. 2. Thou canst not bear them that are evil A zealous Soul cannot suffer any reproach on Gods Name Psa 69. 20. Reproach hath broken my heart
1. 2. This Term Mediator is taken sometimes in a more large sense sometimes in a more strict sense First This Term as it is taken in a large Sense so the Lord Jesus Christ is a Mediator as he is the Head the middle between God and his Creatures so he is the Mediator of Angels as well as men It is by him the Angels were made and in him the Elect Angels are chosen and by him they are preserved for Angels cannot be thought to come to such a State of Felicity and such near Union with God but upon the account of a second person Col. 1. 20. in the sixteenth verse Christ is said to be the Creator of Angels and in this 20. ver there 's his Mediatorship for Angels By him to reconcile all things to himself whether they be things in Earth or things in Heaven This is a place of very great Difficulty and hath puzled many Interpreters some conceive it is to reconcile man and Angels together supposing the Angels were enemies to fallen man but by Jesus Christ brought into a State of Amity but it cannot be so understood here for the Parties reconciled are not said to be men and Angels but God and these things how then is this understood Some therefore conceive that this Reconciliation is to be understood by way of Proportion and Similitude not as if the Angels needed Pardon for they never sinned but they stand in need of a Mediator that they may not sin for as Creatures they are mutable and as subject in their Nature to sin as the Devils were and it is by Jesus Christ they are preserved and kept in the Favour of God It is said all things in Heaven The Heavens themselves are or shall be brought into a capacity of meetness for the presence of God Saints and Angels by Jesus Christ as Mediatour The Angels are called Elect Angels 1 Tim. 5. 21. And how but as they are chosen in Christ for all Election is founded in the Lord Jesus Christ as a middle Person as the Head of Election Eph. 1. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him all those Creatures that shall be made or kept holy are plac'd in the Lord Jesus Christ Likewise the Angels are call'd the Sons of God Job 38. 7. When the Morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for Joy Now all Adoption is in the Lord Jesus Christ If they are reputed as the Sons of God this Relation must needs be in Christ who is the onely begotten Son of God therefore all the Angels must needs have dependance upon Christ as Mediator Eph. 1. 10. That in the dispensation of the fulness of time he might gather together in one all things in Christ both which are in Heaven and which are on Earth even in him Some conceive it is meant of those Saints that were in Heaven before Christ came to suffer but that cannot be it being put in the Neuter Gender All things in Heaven so that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Mediator of Angels in that he procures for them Preservation with God and were it not for a Mediator they would never be secur'd from Falling Secondly More strictly Christ is called Mediatour in respect to God and fallen Man coming betwixt them as a middle Person to make up the Breach effect a Peace and reconcile them together Heb. 9. 15. He is the Mediator of the New Testament Heb. 12. 24. And to Jesus the Mediatour of the new Covenant John 14. 6. He is the Way the Truth and the Life It is through his Name alone Salvation is to be had Acts 4. 12. He is appointed of God the Father to this end Joh. 3. 16. Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation for our Sins to be one that may reconcile God to Man and render him propitious and favourable to him Acts 2. 23. 1 Pet. 1. 20. Heb. 5. 4. Joh. 6. 24. For him hath God the Father sealed He was annointed and furnished with all Abilities for this end Isa 61. 1 2. And he is the onely Mediator 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. The onely Surety Heb. 8. 6. The onely Advocate 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. 'T is God the Son the Second Person is the only Mediator 't was he that made man and therefore fittest for him to re-make him It would be a great derogation from Christs Honour saith Austin should another mend and reform that spoiled work which he made He is fittest to restore man to the lost Image of God who himself is the express Image of the Father 'T is best meet for him to commend the Love of God to man who himself is the Son of the Father's Love He is the onely begotten Son of the Father and so fit to Adopt others into a state of Sonship As Man also Christ hath Right to Redemption-work Lev. 25. 23. As God he hath Ability to redeem As Man he was capable to suffer As God he was able to bear up the Humane Nature under Sufferings As Man he could bear the Punishment of Sin As God he could remove our Sins and purifie our Natures As Man he could compassionate his People As God he could help them As Man he is capable to tender a Satisfaction As God to render it infinite As Man he was able to become a Sponsor a Surety to make a promise in the behalf of his Seed And as God he could make good his Promise He can reveal the mind and disclose the deep things of God and pour out the Spirit of Grace He hath all Power in Heaven and Earth and is able to save to the uttermost He can exalt his Interest and subjugate his Enemies under his Feet He sits at the Right hand of God and is God with the Father and Man with Man CHAP. IV. Shewing what is the Work of Jesus Christ as he is Mediator WE come in the next place to shew wherein the Office and Work of this Mediator lies And it will much conduce to the Glory of Christ to display his Mediatorship Now we must consider him in a double Relation The Lord Jesus Christ hath to deal with two different Parties where there is a Breach 1. His Work lies with respect to God the Father 2. His Work lies with respect to fallen Man First His Work lies with respect to God the Father And here his Office lies in several particulars First One great part of the Work of Christ as Mediator is to mediate in the behalf of fallen Man with the Father so as to procure terms of Reconciliation Thus a Mediator is to agitate with the offended Person to bring to terms of Peace This was the Work of Jesus Christ from before all time He did act with God the Father that there might be a way found out for agreement between him and poor Sinners This was drawn up in the Covenant between the Father and the Son as in Isa 42. 6 7. I the Lord have called thee
holy he takes up his abode with them and keeps his Court amongst them Thirdly His bowing down of his Ear to hear the cryes of his poor and despised People Psal 10. 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble Psal 31. 2. Bow down thine Ear to hear me Fourthly His gentle and kind reception of their poor pitiful Offerings and Services Psal 51. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit a broken and a contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise Fifthly His owning them in the face of the World before Kings and Rulers 1 Chro. 16. 21. 22. He is not asham'd to call them Brethren Heb. 2. 11. Sixthly His appearing for them in Heaven and confessing them before his Father's Face in Glory Matth. 10. 32. Heb. 9. 24. Seventhly His looking after their meanest Concerns and numbring the very hairs of their head Matth. 10. 30. Lastly His slowness to Anger But this properly pertains to another excellent Disposition of the Lord Jesus Christ namely his Meekness where you may find it fully handled Is Jesus Christ of such an humble submissive Disposition then First Admire the greatness of Divine Love in giving such a Saviour of so humble and lowly a Spirit Had not the Son of God been of a condescending Nature he would never have become man and what then would have been the state of Sinners Had he not been of a lowly mind he would never have consented to have come into the World in the form of a Servant and then enthralled Sinners could never have been made free Had he not been humble he would never have been willing to be made under the Law and then the righteousness of the Law had never been fulfilled Had he not been lowly he would never have borne our Fault and Punishment and then our Sins must have been charged upon our own heads Secondly This will serve to shame the proud hearts of men especially those that profess Christ O see the vileness of your Pride in the glass of Christ's Humility Thirdly Labour to be like to Christ and to be enriched with this excellent adorning Grace of Humility Fourthly Here 's Encouragement to humbled Sinners from the Lowliness of Christ You that see your Iniquities to be heavier than you can bear and are afraid because of the Terrours of the Almighty yet be encouraged to come to Christ because he is humble Isa 57. 15. You that see no Worthiness in your selves to come before him but are fearful to approach into his Presence because of your Poverty and low Estate be encouraged to draw nigh to him because he is humble Isa 41. 17. You that see an Infinite distance betwixt God and you and so dare not approach him let his Humility encourage you he will not despise the Prayer of the destitute Psal 102. 17. You that think your Souls beneath the thoughts and care of such a God and that he will take no notice of you O consider his Humility for your Hope Psal 113. 6. Cherish expectations from Christ's Humility for the mortification of your Pride because 't is God's Ordinance and appointment unto this end Matth. 11. 29. CHAP. XIV Wherein is shewn the transcendent Meekness and Gentleness of Christ To his Enemies and to his People ANother Branch of the sweetness of Christ's Disposition and Nature is Fifthly His Meekness He is meek and lowly Matth. 11. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is facil and easie as Criticks derive it because they that have this Meekness are of a gentle pleasing and affable Spirit to others The Latines express it by Mansuetus one used to the hand alluding to those wild Beasts that are thus tamed They are gentle and brought to the hand they are sociable and familiar not strange and harsh And such is the Lord Jesus he is meek of a sweet and gentle Spirit and carriage towards all when he opens himself as a Saviour to them but especially he is so towards his People Meekness especially relates to Anger as allaying and moderating of it So Arist defines it to be the sweetning of ones Spirit removing its roughness harshness and Passion and rendring it gentle pleasing and affable even to them that provoke it Now this is an excellent Spirit 1 Pet. 3. 4. 'T is spoken of Moses as one of his chiefest Excellencies Numb 12. 3. Now the man Moses was very meek And the Lord Jesus sets forth this to be the greatest Excellency that he presents in himself for the Imitation of his People Matth. 11. 29. When the Prophet Zachary would delineate the stately Majesty of Christ in his Kingly progress to his People he displayes him in the Glory of his meekness Zach. 9. 9. Thy King cometh to thee meek c. So Psal 45. 4. The Glory of Christ in his triumphant March in the World is held forth in his Meekness and Truth this is part of Christ's excellent Glory as Mediator 2 Cor. 10. 1. I beseech you by the Meekness of Christ Now the Lord Jesus is replenished with Meekness First To his Enemies This he manifested whilst on Earth to such as hated him abused him and sought to take away his Life 't is of such the Prophet speaks Zach. 9. 9. compar'd with Math. 21. 5. Now this Meekness of Christ to his Enemies appears First In his Slowness to Anger Psal 103. 8. The Lord is slow to Anger He was not easily provoked whilst on Earth under all the Provocations and Abuses cast upon him Matth. 12. 19. He shall not strive nor cry neither shall any man hear his Voice in the Streets Passionate persons will strive to have their Will when crost to defend their Names to oppose their Adversaries and to revile them that reproach them but Christ was not so he strove not in a contentious quarrelling way but being reviled reviled not again 1 Pet. 2. 23. Under all his Sufferings such as were able to make the meekest man on Earth to cry out and to stir up his Spirit against them yet Christ was silent Isa 53. 7. He was oppressed he was afflicted and yet opened not his Mouth he is brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter and as a Sheep before his Shearer is dumb so he opened not his Mouth You shall not find one froward Word from Christ in all his Sufferings by Jews or Gentiles look over the Jeers and Reproaches that were cast upon him in his Life and at his Death Is not this the Carpenter's Son Matth. 13. 55. Is not this the Carpenter the Son of Mary Mark 6. 3. They call'd him a Wine bibber a Friend of Publicanes and Sinners and yet we find him as a Sheep dumb before the Shearers The Pharisees charg'd him to be on◠that had Correspondence with Devils Matth. 9. 34. but he was silent another time they call him a blasphemer Matth. 9. 3. but see how mildly Christ answers them vers 4. Why think ye Evil in your Hearts Another time we find him sleighted by the Samaritanes
to these also he exerciseth much Long-suffering and Patience if you weigh First the Multitude of their Sins they are more than can be numbred more than the hairs of their head Psal 40. 12. Sins of Thoughts Words and Deeds Sins against Law and Gospel the first and second Table Sins in Duty and out of Duty Sins every day every moment Gen. 6. 5. Sins to the last hour of their Lives till their Tabernacle be pull'd down and the body of Death destroyed and this is not only the Condition of one or of a few Souls but of all the Elect every man that liveth 1 Kings 8. 46. There is none that sinneth not Secondly The Aggravation of their Sins taken First From the persons sinning The redeemed of God such as have been bought with a great price 1 Cor. 6. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 18. The pardon of whose former Sins cost so dear the Sons and Daughters of God Deut. 32. 19. Souls loved and chosen out of all the World to be his yea they only elected and all others left Amos 3. 2. Adopted to a glorious state to be Kings and Priests unto God to be Heirs and Co-heirs with Christ to be a name and a Glory to him and yet for these to be always grieving always provoking always reproaching of him is hard indeed but not too hard for Christ to bear Secondly From the person against whom they sin they sin against their Father who loved them with an everlasting Love drew them with the Cords of Love and led them in the paths of Love who hath given his Son for them and to them and fixed his unchangeable Love upon them imparted the royal Priviledges of Sons to them and yet to Sin against him who is the Father of Christ and their Father whose Glory was dearer to him than his own Blood is an aggravated Sin indeed They sin against God the Son who gave himself for them and bought them with a great price They sin against the holy Ghost who visited them in their low Estate and brought them the good News of Salvation who broke open their Prison-doors and let them forth into a glorious State of Liberty who quickned enlightned comforted and helped them in all their Soul-straits now to sin against this God the Father Son and Spirit cannot but exceedingly provoke the Soul of Christ Thirdly the State in which they sin O! how inconsistent is this with such an high and glorious Condition Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall have no more Dominion over you because you are not under the Law but under Grace The Sins of such are the works of Darkness in the day time Acts of Enmity in a state of Reconciliation and grievous Bondage in times of Liberty Fourthly The dangerous Effects of their Sinning 'T is a corrupt Tree that brings forth sad Fruit even the Grapes of Sodom and the Wine of Gomorrah their Sins rob God of his Glory and bring a greater Dishonour to him than all the Sins of the World besides Rom. 2. 23. They grieve the Spirit of Christ whereby they are seal'd up to the day of Redemption Eph. 4. 30. They depress and load yea break the Heart of God Amos 2. 13. They endeavour to frustrate divine grace and render the Death of Christ in vain Gal. 5. 4. They do as it were reduce the Lord to a great strait what to do to save their Souls Hâ—s 6. 4. they Shipwrack all their Duties and put a Vanity upon all their Profession Labours and Sufferings such run in vain Gal. 2. 2. They sadden the Hearts and weaken the hands of the Godly and become stumbling blocks in their way Psal 119. 158. And they do a great deal of mischief to the wicked in prejudicing them against the Lord Jesus and his holy ways in hindring their Reception of the Gospel and depriving them of the Fruits and Labours of Christ towards their Conversion in justifying them in their wayes encouraging them in their Sins and in causing them to blaspheme the holy Name of God Fifthly The blessed Advantages they have enjoy'd against their Sins they have many Obligations against it and many Experiences of the Evil of it and yet still continue in it O this doth make the burden of the Sins of the Godly exceeding heavy to Christ and yet that he should bear them so patiently and not consume them That though provoked daily by the Brambles and scratching Abominations of his People yet his Fury should not be kindled into a terrible Flame to burn them up doth manifestly demonstrate his meekness to be exceeding great Secondly Christ's forbearing of his People is another Evidence of his Slowness to Anger He is not easily provoked Neh. 9. 17. How long doth he forbear before he strikes he first threatens and then waits calls and exhorts shakes the rod and then strikes gently Isa 30. 18. Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious Thirdly His readiness to be reconciled to them when angry Psal 86. 5. Thou Lord art good and ready to forgive O consider his perswading them to Repentance how doth he labour to convince them of their Sin and invite them to return he entreats reasons and beseecheth them to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. Lo how affectionately doth he receive them when they return how willingly doth he listen his Ear to their confession of Sin and bemoaning of their condition Jer. 31. 18. Fourthly The moderation of his Anger when raised shews his meekness Isa 27. 7 8. In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it He stayeth his rough wind in the day of his East-wind Job 11. 6. Lastly His actual forgiving all their Iniquities Psal 103. 3. Who forgiveth all thine Iniquities Luke 7. 47. Isa 44. 22. Vse Now if the Lord Jesus Christ be so full of meekness to his very Enemies so rich in gentleness sweetness of Nature and Patience to his People then learn this needful Lesson of him to be of a meek and patient Spirit Behold how quietly he took up his Cross and bore reproaches and Indignities from the worst of men yea how still he was under the infinite weight of his Father's wrath Learn meekness from his Gentleness as the Elephant doth from the Lamb when the Elephant is in his greatest Fury set but a Lamb before him and his wrath will presently be allay'd Learn of Christ to bear Injuries to restrain your Anger not to be angry but when Duty and the Cause of God calls you to it 'T is onely Sin should be the Object of a Christian's Anger Moses was calm at his own Reproaches but could not be still when God was dishonoured Learn from Christ to moderate the measure of your Anger he corrects in measure Let not your Anger exceed the desert of the Provocation Learn from him to time your Anger As a word fitly spoken so Anger seasonably exerted is beautiful and learn from him to remove it when the Cause is gone Anger should be as Physick
merit he bore temporal Troubles Wants Weariness Pains Shame Death it self with whatever the damned in Hell bear to all Eternity that did he endure to get a Spouse among the condemned Sons and Daughters of men Fourthly His amorous Treatments of them and endearing Converses with them see the Exuberancy of his Affection breathing out at his Lips to them Cant. 4. 1. to vers 6. Behold thou art fair my Love behold thou art fair thou hast Doves Eyes c. ver 7. Thou art all fair my Love there is no spot in thee Cant. 2. 10. Rise up my Love my fair one and come away chap. 4. 8. Come with me from Lebanon My Spouse from Lebanon vers 10. How fair is thy Love my Sister my Spouse how much better is thy love than Wine chap. 6. 4. 5. Thou art beautiful my Love as Tirzah turn away tâ—ine Eyes from me for they have overcome me Fifthly His large Gifts and dowry to them he gives himself his Spirit his Purchase his Laws his Promises his Love Life Light and his Kingdom as I have already shewed and this doth discover his large Affection to them Sixthly His impatient longing after them shews the Greatness of his conjugal love to them Cant. 2. 14. O my Dove that art in the Clifts of the Rock in secret places of the Stairs let me see thy Countenance and hear thy Voice Jer. 3. 14 Turn O back-sliding Children for I am marryed to you He stands at the door knocking with the dew of the night on his locks saying Open to me my Sister my Spouse my Love my Dove my Vndefiled Cant. 5. 2. He is troubled when he cannot see them and they will not come unto him that he might give them life Seventhly His wonderful Complacency in and rejoycing over them he is well pleased with he rests in his love over them Zeph. 3. 17. He takes them for his only Portion Seed and Travel of his Soul wherein he is satisfied And as a Bridegroom rejoyceth over his Bride so shall thy God rejoyce over thee Isa 62. 5. For the Lord delighteth in thee and thy Land shall be marryed ver 4. Lastly His utter Inability to part with them proves his great love to them Hos 11. 8. How shall I give thâ—e up O Ephraim Isa 49. 16. Behold I have graven thee upon the Palms of my hands and vers 15. A Woman may forget her sucking Child but I cannot forget thee Nay he sets them as a Seal upon his Heart Cant. 8. 6. You must pluck out his Heart before you can make him consent to let his Spouse go Joh. 10. 28. None shall pluck them out of my Hands That 's the first Testimony of his conjugal Faithfulness his Love to all his people 't is a constant Love Joh. 13. 1. Having loved his own that were in the World he loved them to the end Secondly His Cohabitation with them this is another part of the Husbands duty to his Spouse 1 Pet. 3. 7. Ye Husbands dwell with them according to Knowledge such is the Fidelity of Christ to his that he takes up his abode with them Joh. 14. 23. and walks with and dwells among them 2 Cor 6. 16. He doth not give them a transient Visit and look upon them now and then however he may sometimes appear a stranger and draw a Curtain over the light of his Countenance yet he doth not change his Habitation but takes up his rest in Sion and dwells there Psal 132. 13 14. Heb. 13. 5. He will never leave them nor forsake them Thirdly his affectionate and intimate Converses with them proves his conjugal Fidelity he keeps up Intercourse with them Christ in Heaven maintains correspondence with his people on Earth Exod. 25. 22. Theâ—e will I meet with thee and commune with thee above the Mercy Seat that is In my Ordinances and Appointments I will open my heart to thee tell thee my Love and impart to thee my Secrets 1 Joh. 1. 3. Our Fellowship is with the Father and his Son Christ Jesus and this Communion is maintained by the Spirit Joh. 16. 13. 14. When the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth c. For he will receive of mine and shew it unto you 'T is a notable Scripture and as much as if Christ had said I go to Heaven my personal Presence shall be in Mansions of Glory but I will send my Spirit and he shall reveal the deep things of God coâ—municate my mind unto you and concerning you Fourthly His tender Sympathy with them In all their Afflictions he is afflicted Isaiah 63. 9. He soon feels their Troubles he that toucheth them toucheth the Apple of his â—ye Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Act. 9. 4. and therefore the Sufferings of the Saints are called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the after Sufferings of Christ Col. 1. 24. What is done to them he reckons as done to himself And he doth not only feel their Afflictions but bear their Burdens for them Psal 55. 22. Cast thy burden on the Lord he will sustain thee yea he helps and relieves them under all their Afflictions Psal 50. 15. Fifthly His patience towards them shews his Fidelity as a husband 't is riches of patience and long-suffering that the Lord doth exercise towards his every day Rom. 2. 4. Sixthly His gracious Indulgence towards them covering their Imperfections and pardoning their Offences is another thing his conjugal Relation to his People obliges him to and this he is faithful in he puts Honour upon the uncomely parts and carriages of his People by cloathing them with the covering of his Righteousness Rev. 3. 18. He calls upon his people to put on their white Rayment that the shame of their Nakedness do not appear He puts up many a wrong for them and passeth by many a weakness in them concealing their Imperfections from the view of others and all because he loves them and they are his Hephzibah's Seaventhly His Care of them demonstrates his conjugal Fidelity to them 1 Pet. 5. 7. His Eyes are always upon them from one end of the year to the other Deut. 11. 12. Commit thy way to the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass Psal 37. 5. Upon him is the care of all the Churches and of every Saint yea of all their Concerns even their very hairs He cares for their Bodies their Souls their Families their names their Comfort and their Profit he will not leave them comfortless nor suffer them to be tempted above what they are able he will provide all things they stand in need of Isa 46. 3. 4. Psal 65. 9. and if he withholds these lower things from them here he prepares some better thing for them both here and hereafter Eighthly Protection of them from their Evils and Dangers this is a Husbands duty to be a covering for his Spouse and a Screen to her from Injury Gen. 20. 16. So Christ he carries his as
pardoned as well as one And if the grace of God bring salvation then all must be forgiven or none And the same blood of Christ can as well pardon all as one For if the blood of Christ be the blood of God then 't is of an infinite value and can as easily blot out every sin as one sin and as well discharge Talents as Pence Ezek. 18. 22. Larga Dei pietas veniam non dimidiabit Aut nihil aut totum dabit Thirdly This pardon of sin is procured for repenting Believers and for all of them Acts 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Acts 13. 38. chap. 26. 18. Faith is necessary to pardon because it takes off all self-righteousness and all pretences of merit Faith carries the soul off to a dependance on another for righteâ—â—sness and salvation Faith is a self-denying Grace and expects all upon the account of the Promise Believers and every Believer have their sins pardoned and shall not perish Joh. 3. 16. Now lest some should pretend to believe who indeed do not the Seripture qualifies this Faith by certain Characters 'T is also to repenting souls that pardon is assured and therefore remission of sin is joined with repentance Acts 5. 31. Luke 24. 46 47. Ezek. 18. 30. But what is this repentance Doth it consist only in an external sorrow for sin and an audible begging of mercy No no Judas and Cain were thus troubled for sin and yet never arrived to sound repentance 'T is the mourning and returning believer to whom this Promise is made and to such and to every one of these is a full pardon procured Fourthly This pardon is procured by the blood of Christ and that satisfaction made to the Father by his suffering It is an Opinion sprung up of men of corrupt minds that pardon of Sin is the procurement of Inherent grace and external Righteousness but not the product of Christ's blood suffering and satisfaction which I shall now endeavour to disprove Math. 20. 28. To give his Life a Ransome for many Heb. 9. 26. But now once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself chap. 9. 12. Col. 1. 14. Thus you see 't is the blood of Christ offer'd up to God that procureth peace and removeth the guilt of sin and indeed pardon of sin with respect to Gods Justice could be no otherway obtain'd For First God had past an irrevocable sentence that the Soul that sinneth should dye Gen. 2. 17. Now if this penalty was not inflicted upon Transgressing Adam how would there be a fulfilling of this threatning But some may enquire How comes Adams sin to be charg'd on his Posterity Answ Adams Transgression by the strict union there was betwixt him and all mankind he being their Head Root and Representee was most justly devolv'd on his Off-spring Rom. 5. 14 19. And therefore God would not have been true to his word had not this penalty been inflicted on the Debtor or his Surety But let God be true and every Man a lyar Secondly Fallen Man could not pay this debt and make this satisfaction for sin For the sin being of an infinite Guilt and the punishment being Death Eternal Rom. 6. 23. Man could never pay his ransom and set himself at liberty and therefore some other way must be found out which was only by the Lord Jesus God-Man whose God-head was able to support his humane Nature under suffering and render his endurings of an Infinite value Heb. 9. 14. Acts 20. 28. This is the second Fruit of Christ's Purchase the forgiveness of all the sins of penitent believers even past present and to come that nothing shall be laid to their charge Rom. 8. 1. Thirdly Acceptation of their Persons is another Fruit of Christ's purchase Eph. 1. 6. Where in he hath made us accepted in the beloved 'T is not enough to the compleating of Christs design in saving Souls that their sins be forgiven and the guilt and penalty removed and a discharge of all the Obligations to wrath by reason of sin procured All this a person may have and yet no interest in the full favour of God nor right to any saving blessing from him for 't is not sufficient to give a Man a Title to Glory that he be innocent or free from offending but he must come up to the terms of the first Covenant and do all things required of him and have a Positive as well as a Negative Righteousness There must be in order to an acceptance with God not only a not imputing of sin but a reckoning of Righteousness saith Dr. Owen he must be reputed fully Obedient also The Law requires a perfect and perpetual Obedience Gal. 3. 10. Should thy Soul be set free from all the charge of past sins yet thy defect of Righteousness would undo thee for ever They must be righteous that enter into Life Eternal Math. 25. 47. Even as Righteous as God is Righteous But this is impossible to be attain'd by lapsed man In many things we offend all Jam. 3. 2. There is none Righteous no not one Rom. 3. 10. And therefore there must be a Righteousness procured for and imputed to Believers and that is the Righteousness of Christ The Commutation of his Obedience for our Disobedience Rom. 5. 19. By the Obedience of one shall many be made Righteous This Righteousness is called a white Robe and fine Linnen Rev. 7. 9. Chap. 19. 8. The sweet smelling Garment of our Elder Brother wherein God takes infinite delight and pleasure Math. 3. 17. Isa 42. 1. The ground of all that pleasure that God taketh in his people is the Righteousness of his Son not any of their Services and duties And look what pleasure the Father takes in his Son as Mediatour the same he takes in every Soul that truly comes unto him John 17. 26. That the same love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them VSE If Believers are pardoned and accepted with God then hence it follows First That God never punishes them in wrath and displeasure All the stroaks of God on Believers are but fatherly chastisements Not Judicial acts Heb. 12. 6. He takes vengeance on their inventions but never on their persons Punishment always bears some proportion to the offence but the sufferings of Gods people are infinitely less then their deserts and therefore are the Fruit of Divine Faithfulness and Covenant Love Psal 119. 75. Psal 78. 30 to 34. Secondly God will accept of all their sincere desires and services though never so mean through Christ Isa 38. 14. Isa 63. 8. Exek 20. 40 41. Psal 51. 17. Thirdly They have access to God with boldness at all times Eph. 3. 12. chap. 2. 8. Fourthly They are entred into rest and have peace with God and with their own Consciences Math. 11. 28. Heb. 4. 9. Rom. 5. 1.
grow no nor the Winter of Temptation or divine desertion Bodies have their growing times so have Souls Believer thy growing time may be yet to come if thou art Christs Thirdly Souls may grow though slowly and invisibly to themselves and others Believers have sometimes a vail on their Eyes and cannot discern their flourishing and sometimes the smalnesse of Grace renders it indiscernable to others There may be a growing downward in Faith and Humility those radical Graces that strengthen the Souls adherence to Christ though there be no growing upwards in fruitfulnesse for Christ There is a growing in internal longings and secret desires after more of God and in higher valuations of Jesus Christ though not in such sensible enjoyments of him As the truth of Grace lies beyond the view of Men so doth many times the growth of grace to a Mans self and to others Fourthly The People of God shall at last have their growth in grace further'd by their present decays in Grace As the sicknesse of Children though it makes them languish for a time yet it helps on their growth when 't is over so the Winter season promotes the growth of Trees and herbs when the Summer comes Fourthly The Lord Jesus hath Purchased for his people Perfection in Grace also This is intended by his death that they may be made perfect in one Joh. 17. 23. This he presseth them to Mat. 5. 48. Be ye perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect And what he exhorts them to he prepares and hath redeem'd them to For this end he gives them Ordinances that they may come to a perfect Man to the fulnesse of the measure of the stature of Jesus Christ Eph. 4. 12 13. Heb. 10. 14. This perfection of grace is nothing else but glory 1 Cor. 13. 10. When that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away And this Christ hath purchas'd for Believers Joh. 10. 28. Quest If Christ hath Purchased perfection in Holinesse Then what 's the reason the professing people of Christ are so imperfectly Holy never a day since the Gospel of more light and lesse life of more profession and less Power of Holiness Whence comes this so Answ First These are the last daies yea the latter part of the last daies and the Iast daies are daies of great unholinesse and little grace O the Catalogue of sins the Scripture gives us that will abound at that time 2 Tim. 3. 1. In the last daies Perillous times shall come for Men shall be lovers of themselves Having a form of Godlinesse but denying the Power thereof Christ himself shews us the complexion of the last times Mat. 24. 12. Then Iniquity shall abound and the love of many wax cold The daies before the Coming of Christ to avenge his Elect are daies of little Grace When the Son of Man comes shall he find Faith on the Earth Luke 18. 8. Secondly Because of the abundance of Hypocrites that get under a profession and crowd in amongst Saints In the last times the greatest number of Men are formalists as you have heard 2. Tim. 3. 5. Half at least of Virgin Professors will at the coming of Christ be found foolish and abundance of tares among the Wheat and Goats among the Sheep will be discovered when Christ comes to Judgment and this hinders the holinesse of professours when a great number among them are rotten and Carnal unsound Persons amongst the sincere hinder their thriving in Grace by their Examples and ensnaring Company these as Gangreens do eat away all holiness and as dead bodies become contagious if the living touch the dead they are unclean Hag. 2. 13. Can a man touch Pitch and not be defiled Thirdly Because 't is the hour and power of darkness Luke 22. 53. 't is a time of great temptation to Gods people Satan is come down with great wrath Rev. 12. 12. This Chap. is contemporary with the Seals and Trumpets and gives us a repetition of the Churches State under the first and second Persecution this ver holds forth the second persecution under Antichrist when Satan is cast out of the true Church and Believers and comes down among rotten professours to stir them up to persecution and then the Devil hath great wrath especially in the latter part of his Reign when he hath but a little time then by temptation as well as persecution he labours to destroy the Saints holiness Fourthly Gods leaving his people as a punishment of former sins under present Corruptions for their humbling and driving them nearer to himself These may be some Reasons why there is so little holiness but however the time will come when Christ will make up his Jewels and set holiness in the Earth Fourthly This sanctification of Believers is part yea the choicest part of Christs purchased Treasure I have shewn before that Riches import two things 1. Some things that were of worth and value men never seek great heaps of dusâ— or straw as part of their Riches but Silver Gold and Jewels are things of account 2. Abundance and large measures of these excellent things Now sanctification is a thing of wonderful value and an unknown excellency in its nature holiness must needs be excellent because it is a sparkle of Divine Glory 't is part of the Nature and Image of God himself 2 Pet. 1. 4. 'T is the Glory of God Hab. 3. 3. When the Prophet would set forth God in his Glory he gives him the name of the holy one God came from Teman and the holy one from Mount Paran his Glory covered the Heavens The Prophet here speaks and Prophesies of the calling of the Jews by the Gospel after the Ascension of Christ in an allusion to his former giving the Law on Mount Sinai and making them his people by that Covenant So Teman is a place in Idumea Paran in Arabia between Sinai and Seir from whence God gives out his Law and shews out his Glory as you may see Deut. 33. 3. Some take Teman for Jerusalem and then the meaning is thus As God did formerly manifest his Glory by giving out his Law from Mount Sinai and his Holiness in keeping and leading his people through the Wilderness to Canaan and Jerusalem So will he in Gospel-times manifest his Glory in giving the Gospel and calling a People to himself and this Glory of his will most eminently appear in the manifestation of his Holiness So that Holiness is the Glory of God and therefore must needs be most excellent Nay Sanctification is the honour of the Creature Rev. 21. 10 11. The Glory of the latter Church is set forth by its Holiness So Sanctification and Honour are joyned together 1 Thess 4. 4. Holiness is the greatest Treasure for 't is laid up in the choicest Treasury in Heaven the place of Gods Holiness and the Habitation of the Holy Saints and Angels Isa 63. 15. Treasures are not the Possession of every one
they are given usually but to a few So is Holiness the priviledge of the fewest and least number of men few there be that find it Mat. 7. 13. Riches can procure the greatest things procurable as one saith Money answereth all things that is all things that are saleable among men so Holiness though it cannot purchase Mercy yet it fits persons for the greatest Mercies and highest Services None more advanced than holy Souls they dwell in the presence of God Psal 140. 13. They are through Christ very potent with God they are fit for the highest work When Persons come to dye they see the excellency of holiness and would purchase it with a world This proves that Sanctification is a rare Treasure Again The purchas'd Holiness of Christ hath not only excellent worth but large quantity he hath purchas'd fullness of Grace Grace for Grace O Believer though thy heart be empty of grace yet Christ's Treasure is full he hath as much as ever thou canst need or crave to make thee as Holy as thou wouldest be and that to all Eternity VSE If Holiness be the Purchase of Christ then 't is not the Creatures procurement or by any ways or means obtained short of the merit of Christ what the Apostle says of Righteousness is true of Sanctification Gal. 2. 21. If Righteousness come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain So if holiness be the Fruit of Mens Purposes Labours and Duties then Christ died in vain 'T is too common an errour in many to charge Christ with too much in some things and too little in other things In justification some lay too much on Christ I mean by charging their sins on him for pardon which they were never throughly convinc'd or repented of and in sanctification charge him with too little expecting their holiness and meetness from their purposes duties and improvements As if holiness were to grow out of the Sepulchres of their Services and not out of the grave of Christ 'T is true indeed the Lord Jesus hath appointed means for the promoting of Holiness and given promises and Ordinances for the conveying and perfecting of it but the vertue of all depends upon his blessing 1 Cor. 3. 6 7. Rom. 9. 16. Secondly Then how unexcusable are perishing Sinners under the Gospel that will not come to Christ to be made holy You that lye in your blood and from the Crown of your head to the sole of your feet are full of filthy Ulcers and putrifying sores whose Consciences cannot but condemn you sometimes for uncleannesse and never being cleansed by the blood of Christ how will you appear before the Holy God a Consuming fire in your unpurged sins How unjustifiable is your filthynesse who might have been cleansed but would not What will you answer in the day of Indignation when all this tender'd but refused Grace shall come against you when you would willingly part with the whole World if you had it to get a clean heart and a purged Conscience How dreadful will that word be in the day of Inquisition Ezek. 22. 24. Thou art a Land Thou art a Soul that art not cleansed How cutting will the memory be of rejected Grace when God shall say I would have healed you but you are not healed Jer. 51. 9. You might have had your natures changed your Consciences cleansed and your hearts sanctified but you would not Now away thou prophane hard-hearted wretch Be gone thou secret Drunkard Swearer Thief Lyer take him Devil go and be filthy still wallow in thy blood there lye cursing in torment to all Eternity as long as I am God thy blood shall lye upon thee Thirdly Then the Holinesse of Believers is and shall be sure being grounded on the Purchase of Christ 'T is bought and paid for O Believer for thee purchas'd Sanctification is assuredly thine as thou art not thine own The truth continuance growth and perfection of Grace is procured for thee by a price A price agreed on betwixt the Father and the Son First God will not deny it Justice it self cannot with-hold thy purchas'd due As sure as Christ with-holds not one drop of his blood or penny of the price so sure will not God with-hold any part of this Purchase Rom. 3. 26. That he may be just and the justifier of them that believe in Jesus And if the justifier then sure the sanctifier Poor doubting Believer when thou seest nothing but unworthiness in thy self of the least Grace and peace from God then think 't was Christ not I that made this purchase he who did not can not make a forfeit of his right and whose blood must perish whose Honour and Interest must suffer if one of those for whom Christ dyed should dye and perish for want of Holinesse O no! this cannot be The Judge of all the Earth must do right Gen. 18. 23. Secondly Jesus Christ the believers Advocate cannot suffer to see his poor and needy deprived of their right He is the Mediatour betwixt God and his people The days-Man and Umpire to see truth Established in the Earth and every one to receive his due He will give wicked Men their due much more his Children And all Power in Heaven and Earth are in his hands Math. 28. 20. He is the Faithful Witnesse Holy and Just one and therefore will cause that believers shall have the distributions of the due Measures of his Purchas'd Grace Thirdly there is nothing in thee or without thee that can hinder the accomplishment of it Isa 43. 13. I will work and who shall let Let Earth and Hell Sin and self combine together they shall not keep back the Communications of grace one day beyond God's time Math. 12. 20. 'T is not the strength of thy lusts can prevail against the arm of God and forces of his eternal Spirit who is commissioned to bring down all thy Enemies and set thee free indeed Christ will Reign till he brings down all his Enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15. 25. The greatest part of which is the Corruptions of his people CHAP. XIX Adoption-Grace prov'd to be the Fruit of Christ's Purchase The excellency of this state opened in several particulars I Come now to a fifth Fruit of Christs Purchase and discovery of that glorious Redemption-Treasure procur'd by his death that is a state of Adoption those whom he sanctifies he adopts and brings into a new Relation to himself to God the Father Son and Spirit The work of Sanctification doth change their Nature Adoption changeth their state they are really alter'd by Sanctifying Grace and relatively by adoption-Adoption-love God now becomes their Father and they are his Sons and Daughters 2 Cor. 6. 17 18. Come out from amongst them and touch not the unclean thing Here 's a change in their Nature and Life And I will be your God and you shall be my Sons and Daughters there 's a change in their state Adoption is the taking of persons that are strangers and
This Child-like zeal in Craesus dumb Son open'd his mouth when his Father was in danger to be slain Fifthly A fiducial dependence on his care and faithfulness Psa 23. 1. The Lord is my shepheard I shall not want Rom. 8. 32. 1 Pet. 5. 7. Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you This was the Child-like confidence of Job in his God Job 13. 15. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him This dependence on the Fathers care quieted Musculus when he was forc'd to labour in the Town Ditch for his Maintenance Est deus in Coelis qui providus omnia curat Credentes nunquam deseruisse potest Mat. 6. 32. Your Heavenly Father knows you have need of all these things Sixthly Humble Submission to him Heb. 12. 9. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word notes an orderly subjection according to that order and place in which God hath set a Man that subjection that is in an Inferiour to a Superiour The same word is used of Christ Luke 2. 51. And he went down with them to Nazareth and was subject to them that is submitted himself to that place duty he owed to them as his Parents Seventhly A carefulness to please him Isa 56. 4. That chuse the things that please me to them will I give within my house a place and a Name better than of Sons and Daughters That is such will I own for my Family my Sons and Daughters that chuse the things that please me So did the Lord Jesus evidence his filial duty to his Father Joh. 8. 29. I do alway the things that please him 1 Joh. 3. 22. Eighthly An endeavour in all things imitable to resemble him 1 Pet. 1. 15. As he that called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation Luke 6. 36. Be ye merciful as your Father in Heaven is merciful Mat. 5. 48. Be ye perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect that is In the grace of love to Enemies Eph. 5. 1. Be ye followers of of God as dear Children Ninthly A labouring to walk worthy of so high relation and nearness unto God 1 Thes 2. 12. That you walk would worthy of God who hath called you to his Kingdom and Glory Worthy of so high a Calling like the Children of a King like Gideons Brethren who all resembled the Children of a King Judges 8. 18. Your duty is to live above the Children of this World who only are wise in their generation Luke 16. 8. But be ye wise in the things of God evidencâ— your highest wisdom to be in keeping â—he Law of the Lord Deut. 4. 6. Live like them that are Adopted Heirs of a Kingdom even the Heavenly Kingdom that fadeth not away O live above the snares and fears of this world Lastly A maintaining a real Love to your Brethren and an endeavour to live peaceably with them 1 Pet. 3. 8. Love as Brethren be pitiful be courteous c. 1 Joh. 5. 1. Every one also that loves him that begetteth loveth him also that is begotten 1 Joh. 3. 11. Gen. 13. 8. Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee between my Herdsmen and thy Herdsmen for we be Brethren Chap. 45. 24. See that you fall not out by the way 2 Cor. 13. 11. VSE Thus you see what a glorious Treasure Adoption-grace is view over this Inventory Believer and tell me what thou thinkest of it Is it not a Treasure indeed which all the Gold of Ophiâ— cannot equallize Nor all the glory of the World worthy to be compared with And see all this procured by the Sweat and Blood the Obedience and Death of the Son of God and then say whether Christ be not precious indeed Look upon the Children of this World in all their Glory view their priviledges in their utmost latitude and extent and answer me whether a Believer in rags doth not far surpass them Christ speaks of Solomon that he in all his Glory was not to be compared to one Lilly in the Field So one Saint and Child of God infinitely excels the Great men of this World in all their Grandure and Advancements O then admire the Lord Jesus on this account also for procuring Adoption-grace 1. Quest But how may I know whether I have obtained this Adoption-grace Answ This is a point worth the enquiring into and satisfaction in so fundamental a point is very necessary But 't is the Office of Gods Spirit to seal us up to the day of Redemption and bear witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God Rom. 8. 16. Men may lay down marks but 't is God must determine the Quest yet notwithstanding for thy resolution Believer consider First Such are partakers of the Divine Nature and are really Sons as well as Relatively 2 Pet. 1. 4. They have the Image of God instampt upon their Souls They have the seed of Holiness Faith Love Hope Patience and Humility in them 1 Joh. 3. 9. Rom. 8. 29. And they have received of his fulness Grace for Grace Joh. 1. 16. Secondly Such prize nothing in all the world like to Relation to God Ps 73. 25. 1 Joh. 3. 1. Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed on us that we should be called the Sons of God Thirdly Christ is exceeding precious to such in whom they are chosen and by whom this Grace comes 1 Pet. 2. 7. To you that believe he is precious None in Heaven or Earth that they value like to Christ they account all things but dross and dung in comparison of Christs excellency Phil. 3. 8. Fourthly Such will employ their greatest care to imitate God Eph. 5. 1. 1 Joh. 3. 22. Fifthly such have a Spirit of prayer and supplication Rom. 8. 15 16. Gal. 4. 6. Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Not Parts not Light not the gifts of Prayer only but such a Soul hath the Spirit of Prayer very strong strains of Faith and Love run through all his Duties He hath a Spirit of boldness whereby he comes to God as to a Father O how earnest and unwearied are his breathings after God what wrestlings with God in secret hath he what pourings out of strong cries to him as Christ did in the days of his Flesh Heb. 5. 7. O the struglings O the wrestlings O the ardent breathings of such for the pardon of their sins for the mortifying of their lusts and for the reviving of their graces Now where the Spirit of Adoption is there is the state Sixthly Such are enabled to bear and profit by affliction Heb. 12. 7. If you endure chastening God dealeth with you as with Sons Lastly Such have endeared affections to the people of God 1 Joh. 3. 14. We know we have passed from Death to Life because we love the Brethren 2. Quest What must
this Covenant O what manner of Love is this if duly weighed That the Son of God should come down and be made man take upon him the form of a Servant engage to the Service of the first Covenant to make good all the violated conditions thereof by his sufferings and all the precepts thereof by his Obedience That he should be made a Curse and taste of death and all to make this Covenant sure That he should shed his blood to make firm this Covenant in all the parts of it That he should come and melt himself to death that the seal might be put upon this new Covenant O what wonderful Love is this for nothing could make it sure but the Testatours blood and that he would shed his Blood to make it sure Now then there 's no greater constraints to duty than the sense of the Love of Christ 2 Cor. 5. 14. The Love of Christ constrains us Arguments of Love are irresistible it silences the Believing Soul in all his resistances When Arguments fetch'd from the Law do only drive the Soul to Duty nay sometimes bind back from duty That at such a time the sense of the Love of Christ doth draw yea post the Soul away to Obedience Draw me and we will run after thee Cant. 1. 4. that is Let out the potent influences of thy sweet Love upon me and then I will hasten after thee or further my Obedience of thee Secondly Another reason for Obedience is taken from the certain blessed Ends and Fruit of new-Covenant Obedience which is no less than Eternal Life Rom. 6. 22. All the blessings of the everlasting Covenant are ensured to such Ps 103. 17 18. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him to such as keep his Covenant to them that remember his Commandments to do them Mercies in the way mercy in the end are all ensured to them that fear him to them that Evangelically keep his Covenant Psa 25. 10. All the paths of the Lord are Mercy and Truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies There 's great reward in the very keeping his Commandements and reward in the latter end O what promises are entail'd to Gospel-Obedience Nay you will not only have the Fruit of your own Graces but you will have the Fruit of Christs Grace the Fruit of his Obedience and his Righteousness too Therefore O what reason have such to obey seeing the Covenant is made sure they cannot miscarry their labour shall not be lost considering the Love of God that should engage them to Obedience and the blessed Issue of it Thus much of the sixth Branch and Item of Chist's Inventory and the Riches of his Purchase CHAP. XXI The Heavenly Inheritance is the Fruit of Christ's purchase WE shall briefly add one particular more of the Purchase of Christ that is The Consummation and compleating of all the Believers happiness and comprehension of his chiefest treasure which is the purchased possession of Glory Eph. 1. 14. Vntil the Redemption of the purchased Possession unto the praise of his Glory that is unil we come to inherit this glory purchased by Christ O what a blessing is this All that have been treated of already are but little parcels of this total sum of a Believers happiness O when the whole treasury of Christ shall be opened and set forth to the view and enjoyment of saved Souls When all Christ's personal Glory as Mediator shall be discovered to them and become their Glory when all his purchased Glory for them also shall then be entred on by them all that he hath received for himself and all he hath procured for them shall all be made over to them This will be a blessed Eternity indeed when their Crowns of Massy Glory shall be set upon their heads and when they also shall be set down upon Thrones of dignity honoured with the reflections of Christs Majesty and unconceivable grandure This is a mystery indeed but a real truth to all Believers O blessed purchase indeed who can tell over this sum when the Saints shall be so enriched with the Riches of Christ cloathed with the beautiful Garments of his praise O wonderful Glory indeed Deckt with the Jewels of the Graces of his Spirit and fill'd with his holiness brim full When they shall be satiated with his pleasures but never tyred sit down at the Well head and drink full draughts of pleasure Take in their fill of the highest consolations and unknown Sweetness Love and delight from Christ O this must needs be wonderful enriching when they be ever ever ever with the Lord where no clouds can darken their sights of their blessed mansion and their blessed God where no vail can intervene between them and their Beloved Where Rust Moth Worms Time and Death can never come to wear out their enjoyments O blessed Treasure indeed Where Eternity shall be the Date Immensity the Bounds and Immutability the fixation of their happiness But so it shall be with saved Souls in Heaven when they are got through the Sea of Christ's blood to Glory O Believers Do not your hearts leap within you What no kind of affection at all to these things Is all this as a dream to you Where are your Hearts O be affected at this wonderful blessedness Christ hath procured in Heaven for you O blessed blessed Eternity where saved Souls shall wear a Crown that fadeth not away where their Garlands shall be ever fresh and green their joys ever new and their enjoyments never wearing where all their sown seed of Spiritual-Duties and Gospel-sufferings shall spring up to Glory to a full crop of blessedness to an harvest of pleasure proportionable to all the Love of God to them to the utmost measures of their Graces and acts of their Faithfulness the large extent of divine promises yea suited to the infinite deservings of Christ for his saved ones Glory as much as can be claimed This will set forth the Treasures of Christ to be boundless bottomless endless without all circumference higher then all Altitude broader than all Latitude deeper then all profunditude O treasures indeed Saints and Angels may look into them but can never see the bottom In comparison of which Riches in Heaven all the warmest Apprehensions all the sweetest tastes all the highest enjoyments of Saints here are no more than a drop to the Ocean like one ear of Corn compar'd with all the fields in the world cloath'd with fruitfulness No more then a single Dust to all the Beds of Sand in the whole Sea O what is glory Christians are these Jewels so valuable that you can bear about with you here O what a Cabinet then is Heaven O what are the Treasures laid up there O wonderful large indeed Weigh the utmost pleasures and delighting ravishing consolations that all the Believers in the World can get by this side Heaven all the graces all the Joys of all the Saints in
your fellows He will make you Kings and Priests to God he will set you in Heavenly places he will seal your title to a Rich Joynture he will make sure your interest to all the Treasures of Heaven He will possesse you with grace and assure you of glory O sinners is not this argument enough to win your Souls and make you willing to accept of such a Majesty as Jesus Christ Eighthly Sinners think upon the greatness of that love tâ—e Lord Jesus Christ bears you He hath good-will towards Men towards sinners as sinners whiles in their blood he hath a love of pity for you 'T is true till you close with Christ he can have no love of acquiescense in you but he hath a love of good-will to your Souls he hath so much love for you as hath made him willing to shed his blood for you his love brought him down from the Fathers Glory made him willing to drink the dregs of a cup of wrath for you the love of Christ to Sinners hath set up a standing Ministery in the World sent forth multitudes to publish glad tidings O Sinners did you but believe this how attractive would it be upon your hearts to draw you to Christ But if none of these arguments will prevail let me adde one consideration more Lastly The effects of your refusing Jesus Christ will be dreadful if you will not accept of this proposal O think what a terrible answer Christ will send you Such shall not taste of his Supper Luke 14. 24. Not a crumb that fall from this Rich Table of Salvation-chear shall fall to the share of that wretched sinner If you will not have his Person you shall not have his purchase He hath sworn in his wrath these shall never enter into his Rest Heb. 3. 11. O sinner were there no other Hell but the loss of Heaven it were enough to break thy heart in pieces O think upon the sad Issue of thy final unbelief When thy sins get over thy head and thy guilt follows thee at thy heels When Death and Hell shall be at thy back and then to call and cry and knock at the door of mercy and not be heard O what a doleful thing will this be When armies of devils are round about thee ready to snatch thy Soul into everlasting burnings and none to relieve thee O fearful will the case of thy Soul be When thou shalt cry O for mercles sake Help Lord I am going to Hell for mercies sake help and then for the Ear of God to be deaf and thou not have one good word and the door be shut against thee O what a dolefull case will this be for tender mercy to cease is miserable But for mercy to become cruel to you O fearful case indeed when tender Bowels shall become Brass and Iron and there shall be no sounding at all in it towards thy Soul O sinner if thou wilt not accept of this Christ he will laugh at thy Calamity and mock when thy Fear cometh Pro. 1. 26. That 's terrible when God shall not only cease to pity but deride thy misery Be assur'd Soul as quiet as now thou art a day of Calamity will come there will come a time of Fears for thy poor Soul and then will mercy it self be turn'd into wrath and laugh at thy Calamity yet further sinner if thou wilt not accept of Christ then will incensed fury send forth its army of destroyers and ruine and cut off thy Soul for ever Mat. 22. 7. Then shalt thou be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of God and from the glory of his Power 2 Thes 1. 8 9. Then shall vengeance glut it self upon thy Soul and seize upon thee in flaming Fire O 't is a dreadful thing to lye at the mercy of vengeance O what will not enraged fury do to its adversaries when it hath them at its power But what will divine vengeance do O sinner when God shall arraign thee at the Bar of Judgment for kicking at the Bowels of mercy for Crowning the head of Christ with thorns and trampling his blood under feet what wilt thou do then O canst thou read this and not shake when thou shalt see Devils round about thee and flaming vengeance take hold of thee But thus it will be Then they that would not let Christ reign over them shall feel Devils rending of them Then they that fled from the Arms of mercy shall fall into the Jaws of fury Then they that shut their ears against the fervent wooings of Christ shall open their hearts to the fiery wrath of Christ Then they that would not get into the bosom of Christ shall lodge in the burnings of Hell Then the Furnace of Hell shall be heated seven times hotter for those whose hearts freezed under the warm beams of Christ's Love Oh dreadful will thy state be Sinner if thou refuse Christ Well sinner take the Counsel given thee kiss the Son Iest he be angry turn in turn in hither reach out thy arms come away to Christ say Lord Jesus I am willingly thine Sinners are you perswaded what answer shall we return to this Lord of Glory Will you be his Will you accept of this grace tendered to you before it breathe its last to you CHAP. XXVI Objections answered Counsels how to come to Christ I shall now endeavour to answer those Objections which are made by doubting Souls against their coming to Christ 1. Objection Says a Soul But will this blessed Potentate this glorious King of Kings stoop so low as to look upon such an obscure Creature such a worthless worm as I am Alas I am too mean to unloose the latchet of his shooes I am too unworthy to be the meanest Servant in his House To be a dog to his Flock And will he cast his skirt over me O do not flatter me into such vain hopes and fond dreams that such a King of Glory will look upon me I am too low for one aspect of his Eye Answ Abundant Testimony hath this Lord given of his condescending heart to sinners Dost thou think thou art too low for such a Majesty When he left his Fathers Kingdom and came down from his Eternal Glory with the Father he gave abundant proof of the humility of his heart when he did espouse thy nature sinner to himself and took upon him the form of a Servant he shewed his humble heart that he was far from contemning sinners He was the true Jacob who served a far harder bondage for thy Soul than ever Jacob did for his Rachâ—l this shews his humility His choosing such mean persons such notorious sinners for his companions in nearest Union and Communiwith himself Matthew the Publican Paul the Blasphemer Poor Fishermen of no regard upon Earth These did Christ personally chuse for his nearest Converses this shews his condescension And 't is not thy low state sinner can discourage Christ if thy heart be really willing His
the excellencies of her Husband and glory in them as her own Such pleasure doth the Spouse take in the beauty of Christ Cant. 5. 10. And reckons them as her comliness though she was black Cant. 1. 5. I am black but comely What consolation is this to a child of God to be intitled to such a glorious Jesus Though thou art poor yet thy beloved is rich Though thou art unlovely he is fair though thou art obscure and vile yet he is honourable and his riches beauty and honour are thine and thy reputation with God Saints and Angels shall be in him and as he is Cant. 6. 10. Who is she that looketh forth as the morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun The Lord Jesus hath a high account of the Spouses beauty she is bright fair clear but it is as the Morning or Moon who borrow their beauty from the Sun Comfort thy Heart O drooping Believer though thou canst see no worth in thy self yet thou hast enough in Christ for thee Again what wonderful Comfort may a Child of God gather from a seen Title to all the purchase of Christ his Righteousness Graces Priviledges sure Covenant and Salvation when he can upon warrantable grounds lay claim to all this but so the Believer may 1 Cor. 1. 30. Secondly The time is drawing near when they shall have a full possession of all those treasures of Christ Rev. 21. 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things All those great and glorious things promised shall be his possession God shall be all in all to him 1 Cor. 15. 28. Every tittle of his word shall be fulfilled though Heaven and Earth pass away Math. 5. 18. Here Believers are rich Heirs under age which differ nothing from a Servant Gal. 4. 1. but the day hastens when their great Estate will fall into their hands and they shall live upon it to all Eternity the expectation of which is cause of comfort when veils shall be taken away and thy soul ever with the Lord when thy filthy Garments shall be taken off and thy beautiful rayment for ever worn when thou shalt live no more at small allowances of Grace but receive it without measure thy Table spread thy Cup overflow thy feeding shall be no more on sent portions from thy Fathers Table but shalt sit down in his presence and feast upon his fulness to all Eternity Then shall all promises be turned into performances all hopes shall end in fruition and all desires center in delights then shall parts be turned into perfections darkness into delight changes into immutabilities fears into joyes wants into fulness absence into presence O blessed Eternity When the Lord shall bring forth all his Treasures open his Ward-robe and and pay off every saved Soul with an infinite fulness as much as he can receive or desire to have treasures of love in God the Father Son and Spirit rivers of joy in the presence of God and fulness of grace in conformity to God Things which eye cannot see nor ear hear nor the heart of man conceiue 1 Cor. 2. 9. And is not a cerainty of these future treasures ground enough for present comfort Thirdly from an interest in this rich Jesus here 's comfort to Saints under all their present wants whether outward or inward In that First There 's enough in Christ to supply them In him dwells the fulness of the God-head Col. 2. 9. Thy wants Believer are but finite be they never so great but Christs fulness is infinite Thy necessities are the needs of a Creature his abilitie is the power of a Creator The Lord Jesus Christ can more easily supply thy need then a whole Ocean can fill one pitcher for betwixt the Creatures there is some proportion but betwixt God and the Creature none at all Secondly As there is enough in Christ to fill all thy wants so all the fulness that is in Christ is thy own Believer laid up in Christ for thee made over to thee 1 Cor. 1. 30. Deus mens omnia mea And therefore mayest boldly expect supplies according to the measure of Christ 1 Cor. 12. 11. Dividing to every man severally as he will Thou mayest as boldly go to the treasury of Christ as a man doth to his Purse for money or to his Cupboard for Bread and as a Child doth to his Father for necessary supplies Math. 6. 32. Lastly The Lord Jesus Christ stands engaged to see the wants of his people supplied Ps 34. 20. They that fear the Lord shall want no good thing Phil. 4. 19. So that thou mayst boldly say the Lord is my helper Heb. 13. 6. Dost thou want Food Rayment Health c. for thy Body or dost thou want Grace Wisdom Faith Love Humility Patience Courage Self-denial Power over Corruptions Succour under thy temptations victory over thy lust thou mayst go to Christ with expectations of all that God sees best for thee seeing there are such treasures of all Grace plac'd and entrusted in Christ for thee Fourthly Comfort under all your losses for Christ surely if Christ be yours and such vast treasures are in him he will not see you losers for his sake he can and will save you harmless nay requite your expensive love for him all that strength of affection liberty time talents Christians you lay out for him shall be given in again Jesus Christ is that good Samaritane who hath past his word to repay again whatever is laid out for him or upon his at his bidding Luke 10. 35. If a tender hearted Paul would take the offences of an Onesimus on his account Philemon ver 18. Much more will Christ take the expences for him on his account and repay it a hundred fold in this life with Glory in that which is to come Math. 19. 29. Lastly Comfort under all your reproaches for Christ 'T is the lot of gracious Souls many times to be accounted vile and the off-scouring of all things by the men of this world 1 Cor. 4. 13. so ver 10. We are Fools for Christs sake and despised 'T is part of the Cross of Christ to be reproach'd for his sake 1 Pet. 4. 14. But here 's Comfort in such a case in the consideration of those treasures of Christ Christians your relation to such a Jesus who is the Heir of glory will wipe off all your disgrace Think on that account you have with God and the glory you shall shortly have in your own Countrey and that will ballance all troubles on the account of disgrace for Christ CHAP. XXIX Containing an use of Examination Characters of such as have an interest in Christ and in all those glorious treasures CHristians you that have hopes of an Interest in these treasures of Christ clear up your title Be sure your claim be good Rest not till you can have your evidences of Christ past dispute to make the matter plain and certain to you that you are Christs and Christ is yours Adventure
Jesus Christ To love and delight in them to feed and cherish them to care and provide for them to dwell and abide with them to impart and Communicate of all his fullness and sweetness to them so far as it sutes with the measure of Christ and their best good Is not this a great thing indeed that God should make over himself to the Believer O glorious Covenant Again Another great and glorious thing engaged in this Covenant is That Believers shall be to him a people a peculiar people his own people his Jewel his Treasure Mal. 3. 17. They shall be the Apple of his Eye the delight of his Soul a Seal upon his Heart A people near to God Psa 148. 14. Nearer to him than all the world besides nearer than the Angels that never sinned What a wonderful thing is this They shall be dandled on his knee Lye in his Bosom sit at his Table here and sit down on Thrones in his Kingdom to all Eternity O what a wonderful Covenant is this This should fill the Believers heart brim full of Joy and Consolation Again He hath promised in this Covenant that he will write his Law in their Hearts and put his truth in their inward parts Jer. 31. 33. They shall be his Epistle known and read of all men 2 Cor. 3. 2 3. He will lead them into all truth Joh. 16. 13. He will shew them his Covenant Psa 25. 14. He will be merciful to their unrighteousnesses and remember their sins no more Heb. 8. 12. He will put his Spirit within them and cause them to walk in his ways Ezek. 36. 27. He will give them Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withold from them Psa 84. 11. He will admit them into his special presence at all times through the blood of his Son Heb. 10. 19 20. He will give them the Spirit of Adoption to cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. They shall be Kings and Priests to God cloathed with beautiful Garments a right noble seed all glorious within and advanc'd into intimate familiarity with God in Christ by the Spirit Rev. 1. 6. They shall be kept by his mighty power through Faith to Salvation 1 Pet. 4. 5. O are not these great things indeed for poor sinful Dust and Ashes mercy-abusing Creatures O we want Hearts to contain them and Tongues to express them Again As this Covenant is made up of great things so it contains in it all good things Jer. 32. 40. All Gods Thoughts and Resolves are to do them good all his dispensations are bringing them in good Rom. 8. 28. O what a Glorious thing is this Yea they are sutable things that are wrapt up in this Covenant Such as are sutable to their Natures sutable to their Spiritual desires sutable to their wants and sutable to their advantages The new Covenant carries nothing Hetrogeneous to the well-being of the Saints O what a wonderful thing is this Great things indeed are contain'd in this new-Covenant that tends to the infinite contentment pleasure and profit of saved Souls Surely this must needs fill Believers Joys and yield them merry days here and prepare for them Rivers of pleasure to all Eternity Secondly Consider the way which God hath appointed for the attaining those glorious things and this will advance the Believers comfort Persons may come at good things in a bad way and that would abate much of their consolation But these great and glorious things contain'd in the Covenant of Grace for Believers are gâ—ven out in a most excellent way For First It is in a way of Grace If God had given them to be bought and sold to be purchased by mans merit it would not have been so sweet But they are held out freely without money without price Isa 55. 1. It is by Grace you are saved not of your selves Eph. 2. 8. There 's nothing for man to glory in about his Salvation that is of his own Saved Souls are created to their mercies They are prepared for their mercies Rom. 9. 23. And their mercies are prepar'd for them 1 Cor. 2. 9. They are also prepar'd for their Duties in order to their mercies They are Vessels of mercy fitted and prepared for mercy and glory 2 Tim. 2. 21. Secondly It is in a self-humbling and abasing way The more the Creature is abased the more Divine Glory is exalted and the more God is all in all the more is the saved Souls Glory Comfort and Joy the more the loftiness of man is brought down the more God alone is exalted Isa 2. 17. And the more God is exalted the more Believers are pleased Now God gives out these new-Covenant mercies in such a way as may most abase self for he gives them out in a way of Believing and no Grace more cuts off self than Believing All boasting and Self-glorying is cut off by Believing Rom. 3. 27. Therefore God hath ordered such a way for Souls to come at new-Covenant Mercies as may cut off all Self glorying that so their comforts may rise to the greatest measure to be full Joy and Consolation to see the Creature abased and God exalted There 's nothing but Man's cursed self can indeed prove a real Enemy to his comforts A Child of God is never more filled with the pure Wine of Consolation than when he is emptied of all the Lees and Dregs of his own vain-glory Thirdly It is in a pure and clean way that God brings saved Souls to these new-Covenant mercies It is in a way of Holiness No uncircumcised shall pass therein It is in that way of Grace and Purity without which none shall see the Lord It is the upright pure in Heart the sincere Soul shall attain to these great and glorious things The clean Hands and the clean Heart Mat. 5. 8. Psa 140. 13. Psa 24. 4. Isa 35. 8. Fourthly It is in a sweet and pleasant way A delighful way for such are all the ways of Holiness to gracious Souls sweeter than Hony â—nd the Hony-comb They take wonderful â—leasure in Holiness Psa 119. 17. Prov. 3. 17. Legal ways were hard and troublesome ways The Yoke of the Law is a heavy Yoke Act. 15. 10. But the Yoke of Christ is an easie Yoke Mat. 11. 30. O that God should confirm such a Covenant as this that contains such glorious things and all these ensured to Believers and they led to them in such a choice way surely this must needs yield wonderful comfort and advance the Believers Joy Another improvement of this grand truth is by way of Duty There 's nothing more strengthens the Believvers Bond to Obedience than the consideration of the certainty of the new-Covenant Not to mention all those arguments that might be urged to engage Redeemed Souls to all manner of Holiness from the certainty of the Covenant I shall insist only on these two First The consideration of that Infinite Love of Christ that led him through such a costly way to make good