preaching the Gospel to the poor and calling the base things of this world and things that are not shews his lowly mind And his humility hath been abundantly prov'd already He will dwell with the Lowly Isa 57. 15. 2. Object But I have no portion for Christ I am exceeding poor and beggarly I have no Righteousness no Grace no good things dwell in me I can bring nothing to glorifie him I have no ability at all to serve him I cannot pray or do any thing that is good and will Christ accept of me Ans Christs design in these Gospel tenders of himself to sinners is not to get but to give Riches He wants no treasures for himself but he rather wants objects to give them to He wants no goods but like the Rich man in the Gospel he wants room to bestow his goods He is willing to impart his treasure to sinners 2 Cor. 8. 9. Of all persons in the world he is sure to hear the desires of the poor The rich shall be sent empty away but the poor that waiâ— on him shall be heard Psa 69. 33. Art â—â—ou a poor Soul in thy own eyes The Lord hatâ— special regard for such These are the persons he invites to him that have no money no price Isa 55. 1. The poor have the Gospel preached â—o them Math. 11. 5. Therefore sinners 't is â—ot thy poverty can break the match nor hinder â—y reception of Jesus Christ if thy heart be wâ—â—ling 3. Object But I am a deformed loveless Creature I have no beauty at all in me I am black with sin full of all uncleanness and abominations polluted in my blood wallowing in my Mire and Vomit scarce such a nauseous Object as I in all the world O what a filthy heart O what an unclean Soul O what vile affections bave I and will this holy one cast a glance of Love on such a Creature as I I dare not think he will endure the sight of me therefore I am afraid to look to him Answ Believing sinners though black in their own eye yet are comely in Christ's Eye Cant. 1. 5. Faith puts an amiableness on the believing sinner in Christs account This is one of those eyes that ravishes his heart Cant. 4. 9. He looks upon them as lovely that come to him though unlovely in themselves Affections spie no deformity in the beloved object Christs love is so great to fallen man as that nothing appears unlovely in him but an unwillingness to be hiâ— He sees no iniquity in Jacob though therâ—â—e a great deal The halt blind lame impâ—â—â—nt are no amorous Objects yet these Christ invites to his feast Luk. 14. 21. Others are not worthy says Christ but bring these they aâ—e companie for me if they will but come â— Let not thy deformity and the sense of thy uâ—worthiness keep thee from Christ because hâ— hath beauty enough for himself and thee He hath comeliness enough to cover thy nakedness 't is but for some of his beams to reflect on thy Soul and thou wilt be altogether glorious thy perfection lies in his and not thy own comeliness Christ can soon fill thee with amiableness see in Ezek. 16. what a change Grace makes upon deformed sinners The beautie of sinners is Christs beautie put upon them and Christs Holiness imparted to them and there 's enough of it for thee 3. Know that Christs blood is cleansing blood it doth not only cover spots and deformities but it takes away filthiness if thou come to him the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin 1 Joh. 1. 7. 4. Object But I am a great sinner none like me therefore I cannot think the Lord Jesus will pass them by or have thoughts of favour for me Ans So was Davids and yet found pardon Psa 25. 11. for thy name sake O Lord pardon mine iniquities for they are great Manassch's sins were notorious and yet upon hiâ— Repentance found favour with God 2 Chro. 33. 3 4 5 6. He reared up Altars for Baalim worshipped all the host of Heaven and served them he built Altars in the House of the Lord and caused his Children to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom He also observed times and used Iâ—chantments and Witchcrafts and dealt with familiar Spirits and with â—izards and when God spake to him he would not hearken ver 10. O abominable sins One would think here was a man ripe for Hell yet upon his supplication when he was in affliction God heard him and pardon'd him ver 12 13. Paul was a flagitious sinner in his own eyes the greatest that ever was 1 Tim. 1. 15. A Blasphemer a persecutor injurious but obtained mercy ver 13. Therefore 't is not the greatness of thy sin can stand in the way of thy mercy if thou come over to Christ with all thy heart 5. Object But I have been an old sinner I have been rooted in sin and liv'd in sin all my days I have been a continual provocation to the Lord for many years through my whole Life sin hath touch'd sin and I cannot think Christ hath thoughts of Love for me Answ So did the Thief upon the Cross he sinn'd to the last hour of his Life and yet obtained mercy Luke 23. 40 41 42 43. So did some of those that were called in at the Eleventh hour yet embracing the call obtained mercy Math. 20. 9 12. it was not the length of their sinning time excluded the Efficacie of Salvation-mercy when they did come in at the call of it I mention not this for a Pillow to secure sinners but for a Cordial for desponding Souls Now the Gospel calls thee nner if thou come in this hour and embrace the calls of mercy 't is not the length of thy sinning time will make void the Grace of God 6. Object But saies the Soul I have sleighted many calls already I have quenched many motions of the Spirit I have despised the first call and may I have hopes to go to Christ Will he receive me Answ So did Manasseh he did reject many calls God did speak to him but he would not hearken and after his rejection of the first call yet mercie found him The Jews in the wilderness rejected many calls of God yet the Lord said while 't is called to day harden not your hearts Hâ—b 3. 7 8. Though thou hast been guiltie of despising many calls this is matter for thy humbling but not for thy despair 7. Object But I am never the better for all the means and mercy I have enjoyed though I had despised the first calls of mercy yet if I had been the better for after tenders of grace there were some hope But I am still the same notwithstanding all the Sermons I hear and precious overtures of Salvation my heart is hard and dead under all Answ So it was with the Impotent man a great while he was diseased thirty and eight years Joh. 5. 5. He lay at
thee I will rejoyce over thee I will forget the wrongs thou hast done me I will requite thy Vnkindness with Kindness and draw thee with cords of Love with cords saith one woven and spun out of my very Heart and Bowels O miserable Caitiff embrace my Counsels listen thine Ears to Heaven gate and hear the melodious Musick that is there made by refined Spirits why wilt thou rather lye with damned howling Devils than sing Hallelujah's and the Song of the Lamb with saved Souls Accept of me and unchangeable Glory unspeakable Priviledges and Rivers of Pleasures shall be thine Thus doth the Lord Jesus woo poor perishing Souls to be happy and is not this Pity indeed Fourthly His readiness to receive them when they come to him No sooner do they open the door but he comes in Rev. 3. 20. If any man open the door I will come in unto him No sooner doth the Prodigal return but his Father meets him yea runs to meet him as if he could never come soon enough at him Luke 15 20. Mercy is upon the wing when it comes to receive returning Sinners No sooner did Ephraim repent but God repented too As soon as he said Turn thou me God said He shall be turned when he cries Thou art the Lord my God presently God Answers Is he not a pleasant Child So willing is Christ to receive returning Sinners as that he promiseth he will in no wise cast them out Joh. 6. 37. Yea if they cannot come unto him he will go and fetch them and if they cannot go he will draw them Joh. 6. 44. Fifthly His great Joy when he hath obtain'd them The Father of the Prodigal keeps a Feast and makes merry when his lost Child is found Luke 15. 23 24. Psal 104. 31. The Lord shall rejoyce in his Works and this he doth when he hath finished them Heb. 4. 4. But there is nothing the Lord Jesus Christ takes more pleasure in than in the Redemption of Souls Prov. 8. 31. He delighted in the habitable parts of the Earth This you vvill find further amplified in the Parables of the lost sheep and lost piece of Silver Luke 15. from vers 4. to 11. CHAP. XII The Improvement of the Pity of Christ by way of Terrour Encouragement and Advice ARE there such deep and large Bowels of Pity in Jesus Christ not only towards his Friends but his very Enemies Then here is First Terrour to Impenitent Sinners Ah Souls hovv fearfully great is your Sin being a plain defiance to the Mercy and pity of Christ Every Transgression of yours is a kicking the very Bovvels of Mercy and a stab at the Heart of Divine Pity O! hovv vile are your Iniquities vvhilst vvithout Christ They are no less than a despising of the Riches of the Mercy and Goodness of God which would have led you to Repentance and a treasuring up of Wrath against the day of Wrath Rom. 2. 4 5. O Sinners you run on score in abusing of the highest Mercy that ever was you provoke your best Friend against you Alas Who can help you if Mercy it self becomes your Enemy The Bowels of Christ are your last Asylum if this door be shut against you Farewel Souls and can you hope that Mercy will plead for you when rejected by you or will not God hear the Complaint of despised Mercy think you Sinners the Compassion of Christ shall come forth at the last day and say I would have saved that Soul but it would not how often would I have gathered it but it resisted Mat. 23. 37. I offered to pay it's Debts and to get him an Acquittance in the Court of Heaven but he refused it I would have ransom'd him from Death to Life and adopted him to an Inheritance in Glory but he would not I would have stamp'd the divine Nature on him and brought him into the Likeness of the Lord of Glory but he would not I would have put down his Name in the book of Life and secur'd his Title to Heaven but he would not I called he would not answer I perswaded he refused I beseeched he despised I strived he resisted and now Justice into thy hands do I deliver these rebellious Souls to be dealt with according to the Threatnings of the Gospel and Severity of the Law that my Wrongs may be avenged O! what a terrible Complaint will this be Sinners tremble then at the Thoughts of your abusing divine Mâ—rcy Vse 2. Of Encouragement to dejected Souls If there be such tender pity in the Lord Jesus O then take Courage hence to hope for Mercy these Mercies of Christ are infinite boundless and bottomless O what a stock of Mercy is in him for troubled Souls to trade upon what unfathomed Deeps are there in divine Compassions enough to serve all thy Turns and Necessities have thy Sins been many The free Gift is of many Offences to Justification Rom. 5. 6. Of the Offences of many persons be they never so many or the many Offences of one person there is vertue enough in this free Gift of the Blood of Christ for the pardoning them all if such return he saith one that had love enough to give us Christ hath Bowels enough to give us pardon believing Souls shall never dye for Debt if the Bowels of Christ hath wherewithal to pay it O! what Shifts will tender Parents make to keep their indebted Children out of Prison They will beg and borrow of others pinch themselves and spare what they can rather than their Children shall be undone and surely the Mercy of Christ must needs make the most of his Blood and Obedience of his Intercession and Satisfaction for the Pardon of his People And therefore Daniel joyns Mercies and Forgiveness together Dan. 9. 9. Is thy Unworthiness great and deservest thou nothing but Wrath from God O bear up thy Sinking Spirit on the Arm of Mercy Mercy is in vain and signifies nothing if Justice only must take place hast thou abused Mercy and sinn'd away the Favour of thy God Thou hast lost his Gift but he hath not lost his giving the Child spils his Water and goes to the Well to fill his Pitcher again there is more Mercy O troubled Soul in the deep Wells of Salvation for those that seek it Obj. But I have provoked God to withhold Mercy Ans Let me tell thee O distressed Believer there are Forgivings as well as Givings in the Bowels of Christ and I know not which are greater Are thy Wants many Be of good chear Mercy hath enough to supply them all and is as free to give as able and take this for they Encouragement Mercy never gives where there are Deservings Are thy Griefs Labours Fears Troubles and Burdens great Yet comfort thy self Misery and Mercy are a Kin Mercy lives in the â—lymate of Misery and never thrives better than in Misery's Ground to do good to miserable Creatures is Meat and Drink to Mercy John 4. 32. I have Meat to eat
Chron. 19. 7. Thirdly He gives presently Mercies in hand he doth not say as the unjust and covetous man go and come again to morrow and I will give it thee when 't is by him he doth not delay to bestow Mercies on his poor Creatures one Jot beyond the due time Psal 145. 15. Gal. 6. 9. Christ is never at a loss to give he only stays for a fit time he had many things to say to his Disciples but he wanted a convenient opportunity they were not able to bear them Joh. 16. 12. Fourthly He gives heartily Jer. 32. 41. I will rejoyce over them to do them good with my whole Heart and with my whole Soul He doth not pretend Kindness and yet begrudge it in his Heart all his Promises are the Intents of his Heart Jer. 30. 24. Psal 51. 18. Do Good in thy good Pleasure to Sion Fifthly He gives liberally Jam. 1. 5. If any man lack Wisdom let him ask it of God who giveth liberally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Simply purely with a candid Mind and full Intent to do good 't is rendred bountifully as Liberality comes from a simple and pure Heart he gives many times more than we ask as the sick man of the Palsie came for Health and Christ gave him Pardon to boot Solomon asked Wisdom and God gave him more than he begged Riches and Honour too 1 Kin. 3. 12. 13. He gives richly to his People of all good things to enjoy 1 Tim. 6. 17. Sutable to his Treasures Phil. 4. 10. According to his Riches in Glory by Christ above what we can ask or think Eph. 3. 20. He gives a Kingdom Luke 12. 22. and therefore bids us open our Mouths wide and he will fill them Psal 81. 10. Lastly He gives constantly every day and every moment he is never weary of well-doing Isa 40. 28. The Lord fainteth not neither is weary men are soon tyred with Acts of Bounty to which the Apostle alludes Gal. 6. 9. But the Lord Jesus is a Fountain that never ceaseth running he is always doing there is never a moment but he is opening his Treasures and filling the hungry Soul Psal 73. 26. God is my Portion for ever The Saints are always living on God and are ever receiving from him His Mercies are new every Morning Lam. 3. 23. Yea though through Carelesness they have lost their Mercies as the Spouse lost the presence of Christ Cant. 5. and the Tastes of his Love vers 2. 6. And though by Sin they have forfeited their Mercies and have given the Lord cause to withhold them yet he is never weary of doing them good but always communicating something or other to them Vse 1. Is Christ so bountiful Then this may serve to convince all Christless Souls under the Gospel of the greatness of their Sin in sleighting and contemning Christ because it is utterly opposite to the Streams of his Bounty towards them this Sinner will gall thy Conscience another day when Christ shall say what Iniquity hast thou found in me that thy Heart is set against me have not I born thee all thy days maintain'd thee ever since thou wast born and fed thee with Food convenient and yet thou wilt have none of me but liftest up thy heel against me and crucifyest me with thy Sins every day so did the Lord plead with Israel Hos 11. 23. 4. Vse 2. This will serve to humble the people of Christ First For their great Unthankfulness to Christ O how great are the Obligations of Believers to Christ both for upper and nether Springs thy daily Bread comes out of his Cupboard all thy Comforts and Preservations are received from him but especially thy Souls Mercies are the Products of his Bounty thy Enlightnings Awakenings Drawings and Begettings to God thy Pardon Peace and hope of glory are all from him and yet who renders to Christ for all the Benefits done to him who returns to give Glory to God this is a grievous Sin 2 Tim. 3. 2. Secondly For their hard Thoughts of Christ hath the Lord Jesus laid out so much upon thee and hath yet such Riches in Store for thee and art thou always distructing of him and on every occasion jealous and suspicious of his bounty Ps 77. 7 8 9. Ps 78. 22. 32. Thirdly For their little Improvement of Christ's bounty see this in Joash 2 Kin. 13. from ver 17. to 20. Fourthly For looking to Creatures for their Supplies more than to Christ Jer. 2. 13. This is a heathenish Sin Rom. 1. 25. They loved and served the Creature more than the Creator Isa 55. 2. CHAP. XVI Wherein the Faithfulness of Christ is opened in accomplishing all his Prophesies fulfilling his Promises to all the Trust committed to him and in all the Relations he stands to his People THE Sweetness and Excellency of Christ's Disposition consists also Lastly In his Justice and Fidelity he is righteous true and faithful in all he doth and undertakes and this argues an excellent Spirit this was part of that Glory the Spirit of God puts on Moses Numb 12. 7. But my Servant Moses is not so who is faithful in all my House with him will I speak Mouth to Mouth even apparently God puts a singular Value on Moses hath a peculiar kindness for him and affords him more intimacy with himself than others have because of his Faithfulness So Daniel It was his great Honour that his very Enemies could not spot him or find any Error in him on the account of his Unfaithfulness Dan. 6. 4. 'T was this brought Judah into so high an Estimation with God as 't is said Hos 11. 12. Judah ruled with God and was faithful with the Saints Nay a faithful person is a Jewel so rare that he can scarcely be found Prov. 20. 6. Every man will proclaim his own Goodness but a faithful man who can find That is as some render it 'T is a common thing for men to talk of their Goodness Bounty and Mercy but 't is a rare thing for them to be so indeed to be so good as they seem to be Others comment on it thus 'T is an easie thing for men to promise fair and to speak of great things they will do but few are found that perform their word and are what they promise to be Take it in either Sense a faithful man is a rare thing who can find it as seldom seen almost as a black Swan or a rich Jewel Now the Lord Jesus is thus excellent he is true though every man be a Lyer called the faithful Witness Rev. 1. 5. His Name as well as Nature is faithful Rev. 19. 11. The Lord Jesus gives a faithful Testimony of the love that God bears to Sinners he lay in the Fathers bosom and hath given a true Revelation of him Rev. 1. 5. Isa 11. 5. Faithfulness is the Girdle of his Reins The Prophet alludes to those Ornaments Kings did use to wear they wore a Girdle as an Ensign of
Faithfulness of their Lord who knows how to govern the World and can and will bring about his Work to gracious ends by all seeming Contrarieties and interfering Providences in the World Why art thou afraid saith Caesar to the Master of the Ship that began to be disturb'd in his Spirits by reason of the Storm and the Darkness of the Night Thou carryest Caesar How much more should Believers be sedate and quiet in their Minds who have embarqued Christ Caesar had only some Command at Land none over the Sea he govern'd the Bodies of a few men but Christ rules at Land and Sea he sits upon the Floods and at the Helm of this great Vessel of the World how should this lift the Saints Heads above all their Waters Thirdly Christ's working Miracles by his own Power proves his Omnipotency that nothing is too hard for him a Miracle is somewhat done which is above and besides the Power and Course of Nature not only as the thing done but as the manner of doing when the Cause is secret and unknown to us and the thing utterly beyond all natural Causes that 's a Miracle which none but God can do either mediately by secondary Agents or immediately of himself Miracles are only done by a divine hand because none but God can change the Order of Nature and this Christ did not by anothers but by his own power The Humane Nature in Christ was but the Instrument of the divine Action and the humane Action received it's Vertue from the divine Nature saith Aquinas It was by his own Power that Christ did such mighty works as no man ever did 'T is said Vertue went out of him and healed all their Diseases who touched him Luke 6. 19. It was by his word he cast out Devils and healed them that were sick Mat. 8. 6. The Wind and the Seas obey'd him ver 27. With Authority he commanded the unclean Spirits and they obey'd him Mark 1. 27. He opened the Eyes of them that were born blind made the dumb to speak the dead to walk by which mighty Works he proves himself to be one with the Father What he seeth the Father do these also doth the Son likewise for as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickneth them even so the Son quickneth whom he will Jo. 6. 19. 24. Neither did he shew such Wonders himself only but by his Power he enables his Servants also to do such mighty Works as were above the Power of lapsed Nature to do Mark 16. 17. 18. And these Signs shall follow them that believe in my Name i. e. by my Power and Authority from me shall they cast out Devils they shall speak with new Tongues they shall take up Serpents and if they dâ—ink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover And surely if the exerted Power of Christ by weak Instruments could do such mighty things above the Capacity of natural Agents then the essential Power of Christ can do much more than what he hath done Fourthly That must needs be an Almighty Power in Christ that can bestow on the Saints all things that they shall ask of the Father in his name but such is the Power of Christ Joh. 14. 13. Whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son He doth not say my Father shall do it or that will I procure for you by my Mediation and Interest in the Father though that be true also but that will I do by my own Power as God equal with the Father I will do it this he repeats again in the next ver If ye shall ask any thing in my Name I will do it being willing to fix this glorious Truth in their Minds that as he was resolv'd to fullfill all their just Desires made in his name so he was able to do it the Father and he being one And this must needs be an Almighty power to hear and answer all the Requests of all the Saints on Earth at once what multitudes are there of Believers in every Age more than can be numbred who are alway compassing the Throne and sending up a Cloud of Incense to the Mercy Seat daily putting up Variety of Requests to the Father through Christ and that not for mean things neither They beg for the holy Spirit for the Sheddings abroad of his Love and Shinings out of his Glory for treading down of Satan for subduing of Corruption for Conquest over his Enemies Enlargement of his Kingdom for an Almightiness to do and invincible Patience to suffer the whole Will of God for the Forgiveness of great Sins and Multitudes of Sins for Perseverance in Grace and for an eternal Crown of Glory these aâ—e many things and great things things that none but a God can give and yet no more than what Christ is engag'd to bestow on all that sincerely seek him and therefore must needs be God Almighty and worthy of Sinners Choice and of the Saints Trust Fifthly This also sets forth the Omnipotency of Christ that he is able not only to do all things for but in his People working all their Works in them the Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 3. 5. We are not sufficient of our selves to think a Thought that is good Neither know we what to pray for as we ought Rom. 8. 26. In them dwells no good thing as they are in themselves Neither can they do any thing without him their Eyes are unto him for all their Help their Springs are in him in the Lord shall one say have I Righteousness and Sâ—rength they are dead as to any self-sufficiency for the least thing that is good but he is their Life the Soul that animates all their Faculties the hand that leads them the Wisdom that directs them the Power that actuates them in every good thing Their Works must be wrought in God or can never be good 't is he that works in them to will and to do of his good Pleasure he teacheth them to profit he held Israel by the hand teaching him to go he carries his Lambs in his Arms and gently drives them that are with young drawing those that are indisposed quickening them that are dead he is the Fountain that fills all their Pits the Head that gives out animal Influences to every Member for every Duty and must not he then be an all-sufficient God and have an infinite Treasury to give to all richly to enjoy and an Almighty Arm to do all the work of Saints on Earth O admire Believers and relye on this Jesus Sixthly raising the dead is an act of Omnipotency a peculiar Property of the divine Nature which hath been is and shall be the Work of Christ I am the Resurrection and the Life Jo. 11. 25. i. e. He for whose sake and by whose Power the dead shall be raised at the last day Martha suspects Christs
not come Joh. 3. 18. Ah troubled Souls you that tremble least he will no more have Mercy on you but reject your Selves and Duties shut up his Bowels and harden his Heart against your Cries Ah! do but consider and seriously reflect on what Christ hath already done and suffered for you think on his Carriage whilst on Earth and his tender Reception of all that came to him he debarred none surely then his Advancement in Heaven produces no Alteration in him it may enlarge his Capacity but cannot straiten his Bowels to perishing Sinners Honour doth not puff him up or make him unmindful of their Concernments think upon his Promises he will cast out none that come to him Joh. 6. 37. Let their Sins be as red as Scarlet he will make them as white as Wool Isa 1. 18. He knows the Heart of a Stranger Exod. 23. 29. He remembers what 't is to lye under the Pangs of a troubled Soul when he trode the Wine-press of his Fathers Wrath alone and therefore cannot but compassionate the Miserable and those that are consumed with the Terrors of the Almighty Cease Soul to lay thy Charge on Christ 't is thy own Unwillingness and Unbelief that impedes thy way to Life not his Thirdly How fearful then is the Sin and how dreadful will be the misery of all those that refuse this Mediator will not hearken to this Prophet nor consent to his Proposals for Salvation The Tongues of Men and Angels are not capable here to commit an Hyperbole nor can such themselves sufficiently conceive it till they feel it Ah Sinners Weigh a little these ensuing particulars and you will find it true First It is a most aggravated Sin and hath all the circumstances of Evil in it There 's no sin of so deep a Dye and foul a Guilt It is a sin against the highest Mercy and greatest Deeps of Divine Favour There were some Discoveries of Mercy that God expended on the Gentile World In the times of their Ignorance God did wink at them feed them and cloath them But the Treasures of Grace were reserved for the Fulness of Time the Gospel dayes O wretched Caitiff By refusing Christ thou kickest against the most sounding Bowels against rich Mercy Eph. 2. 4. Against tender Mercy Luke 1. 18. Against Free Mercy Eph. 2. 8. It is a Sin against and a forsaking of thy own Mercy Thou stabbest thy own Soul with the same Dagger thou flingest at Christ O wretched Sinner thou takest pains to shut thy self out of the door of Mercy and to argue thy self into the depth of Misery O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self Oh Sinner thou sheddest the blood of thy own Soul Hos 13. 9. It is a sin against the choicest and costliest Remedy that ever God prepared The Garment God made to cloath thy Soul is dip'd in Blood and this thou throwest from thee How justly will thy Soul rot in chains of Darkness to all Eternity that refusest such a chargeable Remedy laid out upon thee The Law was but leading to it Gal. 3. 24. Had you liv'd to see the Priests killing the Sheep and Lambs and cutting the throats of these poor Creatures to make an Atonement for Sin you would have said surely the Antitype must needs be bloody All those charges men were at in their daily Sacrifices could not take away one Sin the Blood of Christ must do it O expensive Mercy And this thy Soul despiseth O cursed Sin All other Dispensations could not make those that use them perfect Heb. 9. 9. Nor all the World if sold can pay the Debt of one Soul or the price of one sin It is a sin against the most glorious Majesty that ever was Phil. 2. 9. Thou spittest in that Face that is infinitely above all Spots and Stains that the Angels admire and adore one Smile of which maintains all the Life and Consolation of the Saints in Glory this Jesus thou despisest O unbelieving Sinner where wilt thou go to hide thy self from the wrath of the Lamb at the last day Lastly 'T is a rejection of thy own Duty a throwing Christ out of his own Vineyard and how will God deal with such He will miserably destroy these miserable men Matth. 21. 41. The Lord Jesus Chrst hath Right to rule thee and thou rejectest the Homage thou owest to him and despisest his lawful Right and Authority which is a most grievous Sin indeed Secondly 'T is a most unreasonable Sin there 's no Plea at all will bear in the Court of Reason for such a Sin thy own Reason will judge and condemn thy Soul O! that ever thou shouldest chuse Death rather than Life and take the Iron Rod of Satan over thee and despise the golden Scepter of Jesus Christ Ah! Sinner there 's cause why thou shouldst leave thy Lusts and wicked Companions and depart from the Chambers of Death in which thy Soul hath dwelt so long but none at all why thou should'st not come over to Christ what doth Christ propose to thee that thou can'st cavil at Is it to leave thy Lusts If not these will ruine thy Soul if thou had'st Fire in thy Bosom thou would'st think it reason to cast it out if Fetters upon thy Feet and Clogs about thy Body to shake them off if a Serpent in thy Bosom to cast him out O Sinner sit down and consult with the Principles of Reason never was a better Bargain offered thee Think on it What if the Gate seem straight it is not so to thy Soul but to thy Lusts thou can'st not shun Trouble but must meet with it either here or to all Eternity Thirdly 'T is a most condemning Sin Joh. 3. 19. This will justifie the severest Doom of God that they might have Life but would not Salvation came home to them but they turn'd it off O Sinner take heed how thou refusest him that speaks from Heaven despise not Christ Secondly As 't is the greatest Sin so 't is attended with the greatest Misery For first it opens the Windows of Vengeance and le ts down divine Wrath on thy Soul it takes off all Possibility of Salvation he that shuts up this door leavs none open to Life Acts 4. 12. Christ is the only Way the Truth and the Life no possibility of escaping Wrath to come if thou refuse the Lord Christ Heh 2. 3. Don't flatter thy self with Hopes of after Mercy if thou give Christ a final Denial all hopes of Mercy is gone when once Christ who is the Blessing is gone from thy Soul Secondly There 's no Acceptance of any of thy duties 't is his Righteousness and Intercession makes way for thy Acceptance Eph. 1. 6. All Acceptableness of the best Services of any is through him 1 Pet. 2. 5. None of thy Complaints or doleful Cries can ever enter into Gods Ears if they be not mixt with the Odours of his Incense Ah Sinner thou flatterest thy self with this that thou wilt pray cry and weep
and perfume them with my Incense not the Excellency of your Duties but the Worthiness of my Intercession shall procure your needed Mercies Secondly Here 's Comfort to troubled Believers such as are in the depth of Soul-misery and cast down with the sight of their Sins guilt of their Consciences and Fears of their Condition that go mourning all the day long forget to eat their Bread feed on Worm-wood and Gall refuse with Rachel to be comforted because their first born their Comforts first Love and Holiness are not Jer. 31. 15. This is the case of some poor Souls from day to day they meet with no Consolation eat Ashes in stead of Bread and mingle their Tears with their Drink they go from Ordinance to Ordinance and their Fear come and go with them they feel little Change by all they do or enjoy their Hearts are harâ— proud vain carnal unbelieving hence they fear they are Hypocrites and shall be cast away to all Eternity Now here 's Comfort to such from Christs Intercession in Heaven he is there pleading thy cause and pressing after thy cure thou hast provoked God but he is appeasing his Wrath 1 John 2. 1. 2. Thou art angring God every day but he is always pleasing him for thee thou art making Breaches upon the Law of God and he is there closing up those Breaches by his Blood and Intercession thou art busie making wounds upon the Glory of the Father and Christ is there presenting the deep Gashes and bloody Stroaks his Justice laid upon him for those very Sins when God is resolv'd to be aveng'd for thy Backslidings Christ is then discovering his constant Obedience and upright Faithfulness for thee he pleads with the Father thus Father shall thy Anger burn for ever and thy Vengeance always wax hot against this Soul My Child Remember what I have borne for him I have already suffered for his Sin and given a plenary Satisfaction to the Demands of Justice and wilt thou charge it on him Father let his Sins be on me as David 2 Sam. 24. 17. Let thy hand I pray thee be against me these Sheep what have they done 'T is I am their Surety and in thy Account the Offender I have answered for their Offences and discharged their Debts why wilt thou pursue them in thy Anger Holy Father in Justice spare these Offenders behold them in my Blood and cloathed with my Righteousness Obedience and Suffering 't is true their Natures are vile but mine is holy and they are Members of my Flesh and of my Bones they are diseased but I have undertaken their Cure and will present them to thee without Spot and Wrinkle And this Intercession of Christ shall certainly prevail with God for thee that thy Iniquities may be pardoned and thy Sins remembred no more Heb. 8. 12. All that is promis'd in the new Covenant Christ intercedes for in Heaven for he is the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3. 1. The Mediator of the new Covenant Heb. 9. 15. But the Forgiveness of Believers Sins is part of the new Covenant Jer. 31. 34. Mich. 7. 18. where God forgives one Sin he forgives them all Jer. 33. 8. I will cleanse them from all their Iniquities c. He will pardon not only Sins before but after Grace not only small but great Sins Psal 25. 11. Not only Sins that have been once but often committed Jer. 3. 22. Return ye back-sliding Children and I will heal your Back-slidings He doth not say once or twiee but let their Back-slidings be never so great and many upon their Return God will pardon them nay though they be as Scarlet and as red as Crimson Isa 1. 18. Object I did once hope that God had pardon'd all my Sins but now I fear it because I have back-sliden after Mercy and wallowed in Sin after washing and God threatens he will not forgive such Jer. 14. 10. chap. 5. 7. Sol. 1. The Reason why God would not pardon their Sin was not because they were too great for Pardon but because they would not return Jer. 15. 7. I will destroy my People because they return not from their Ways Jer. 23. 14. The Lord promiseth to such as have gone aside from his Ordinances even from their Youth that if they will return to him he will return to them Mal. 3. 7. Jer. 4. 1. Secondly If God will pardon all their Sins then he will pardon their Relapses after Mercy be they never so great upon their returning to him God speaks indefinitely I will cleanse them from all Iniquity Jer. 33. 8. Thirdly If God will pardon their Sins before Grace much more those after Grace if he will forgive them when Enemies then much more being reconciled the Apostle useth the same Argument Rom. 5. 8. 9. Fourthly If there be no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus then God will surely pardon all their Sins that ever they commit for there is never a Sin but will condemn the Soul if it be not pardoned but the Soul that is in Christ is never no not one Minute of time in a condemned State Rom. 8. 1. Fifthly If the Lord Jesus haâ—h satisfi'd for all the Sins of Believers then they shall furely be forgiven otherwise God would be argu'd of Injustice and Christ would shed his blood in vain but the Lord Jesus hath satisfied divine Justice to the full for the Sins of all his People Isa 53. 5. 6. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ransome 1 Tim. 2. 6. paid by Christ was a full and sufficient price and therefore his Satisfaction is compleat for all their Sins if this were not so he could not have cleans'd them from all Sin but he cleanseth them from all Sin 1 Joh. 1. 7. Christ could not have saved them to the uttermost that come to God by him were his Satisfaction imperfect but this he doth Heb. 7. 25. Lastly If the Lord should not pardon all the Sins of his People he would be unjust and unfaithful 1 Joh. 1. 9. but that he cannot be Zeph. 3. 5 He will not do Iniquity he is the faithful one that cannot deceive or be deceiv'd Isa 45. 21. Let God be true and every man a Lyar. Thirdly Here 's Comfort to Believers that are dejected in the sense of their strong Corruptions and unsubdued Lusts The Body of Death in some doth make them doubt the truth of Grace and fills their Lives with Bitterness and Terrours The badness of their Hearts and vileness of their Natures makes some conclude their final Ruine But here 's Comfort to such Firstly In that it hath been and is the case of the dearest Children of God their Corruptions like the Sons of Zerviah have been too hard for them Abraham accounts himself Dust and Ashes Gen. 18. 27. Job cries out I am vile Job 40. 4. David says Mine Iniquities are gone over my head as a Burden too heavy to bear Psal 38. 4. Isaiah from a reflex View of God's Glory concludes he
an hour of Salvation O Sinner be not wise too late Fourthly It is a most dreadful tremendous thing to leave the World without an Interest in Christ to be summon'd to Judgment and have nothing to help them no Mediator to plead for them no Righteousness to cover them no Duties to accompany them no Eye to pity them Isa 57. 12. chap. 30. 13. Jer. 5. 5. This is sad indeed when all Bowels are gone and boundless Miseries to be undergone Fifthly Of all perishing Sinners such as perish under the Gospel have the most dreadful Miseries Matth. 11. 21. 22. The Heathens and Pagans Publicans and Harlots shall have a more tolerable place in Hell than such as refuse a tender'd Jesus How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Heb. 2. 3. O miserable Sinners sleight not Salvation tenders despise not Gospel calls but hasten away to this Redeemer Secondly Let the People of God be exhorted first to bless God for this Mediator Eph. 1. 3. Christ is the Fountain of Blessings the Author of Salvation the Gift of God and have you no Hosanna's for the Enjoyment of so rich a person 1 Joh. 4. 9 10. Secondly Ply hard the Throne of Grace find Work for Christ Heb. 4. 15 16. Let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace make known your Requests unto God Phil. 4. 6. Consider Soul You have always need of Mercy not a Moment but you want Supplies from God for Soul and Body your Corruptions are alwayes resisting the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. never at peace with Grace but as a Bow that is bent are still pressing after their former Liberty and as Waters penn'd back are striving to force their way therefore Christians you alwayes need the Spirit 's help and fresh Supplies of Grace your Guilt is always encreasing James 3. 2. The Righteous falleth seven times a day hence daily Sacrifices were appointed because of daily Sins Heb. 7. 27. Your Temptations are continually renewed 1 Pet. 5. 8. New Tryals are daily falling on you new Difficulties are frequently occurring your Life new Troubles and Afflictions are constantly betiding you This is God's appointed way in which he will give out Mercy Ezek. 36. 37. Matth. 7. 7. 'T is true sometimes God hears before we ask but yet preventing Mercy doth not excuse from Duty and we have no ground to expect Mercy out of the way of Duty You are invested with a holy Priest-hood on purpose that you may be much employed in this Work 1 Pet. 2. 5. Your Work and Offices lies in this to offer up daily Sacrifices to God by Christ The Lord Jesus waits in Heaven to receive your Prayers 't is his Business and work in Glory to pursue your Advantages and therefore he expects to hear from you 9. Heb. 24. As an Agent that expects to hear from his Clyent and receive Intimation about his Condition as a Friend in a forreign Country that is hearkning for Letters from his Friend Christ in Heaven desires to hear from his People on Earth not that he is ignorant of them or needs to be put in Remembrance but this way are his Graces in them exercised their Love and Duty maintain'd and himself glorified Isa 30. 18. Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious In the Original it is he longs and as it were greedily and enlargedly desires an Occasion to be gracious he waits in Heaven to be puâ— in Remembrance to do his People good This way is their blessed Intercourse maintained betwixt Christ in Heaven and Believers on Earth by this Christ hears from them on Earth and they from him in Heaven Cant. 2. 14. chap. 8. 13 14. Thou that dwellest in the Gardens the Companions hearken to thy Voice cause me to hear it 'T is in the Original Cause to hear me which occasions a twofold reading First Cause me to he heard they are Christs Words to his Spouse Let me be the Subject of thy Discourse to others Secondly Cause me to hear it that is let me be spoken to let me hear thy Voice in Prayer as a man desires to hear from his Wife when absent and in the next vers She eccho's back the same Request to Christ that he would hasten his Return to her that she might have his Company also by Prayer Christ and Believers have sweet Intercourse with each other Cant. 1. 7 8. chap. 2. 5. 8. The Lord Jesus is wonderfully delighted to hear from his People Cant. 2. 14. chap. 4. 11. chap. 6. 13. Return Return O Shulamite c. This word Shulamite comes either from Solomon and so her Husbands name is named on her or from Salem Peace which is Jerusalem shewing her Descent to be from Jerusalem above hence Christ desires her Company because it was pleasure to him to look upon her her Countenance was as two Armies it is in the Original Mahanaim the same word that Jacob puts on the place where God met him Gen. 32. 1. 2. As if Christ should say thy Sight is Angelical to me tho thou art impure in thy self yet thou art fair in mine Eye 'T is a mighty thriving way there 's no such course can be taken to grow rich apace in divine Treasures Prayer is the Key that opens Christ Treasury and fetches out the Riches of Heaven because such may have of God what they will Joh. 15. 7. God is always giving where gracious Souls are rightly asking God's readiness to give should be an Argument always to crave as Sir Walter Raleigh when Q. Eliz. ask'd him when he would leave off beging answered when your Majesty leaves off giving Thirdly Trust to an interceding Jesus expect all your Mercies from him Psal 5. 3. In the Morning I will direct my Prayer to thee and look up the Arabick and some other Versions have it I will prepare or stand before him and he will see me But this agrees not with the Original where 't is I will order or dispose my Prayer as a General doth his Army and will look out as a man that watches on a Tower to see what I can espy and what Answer he will give By a Metonomy it signifies to expect or look for some thing Matth. 22. 21. In his Name shall the Gentiles trust The Lord Jesus is the sure and certain Object of a Believers Trust O Christians is Christ entred into Heaven there to appear for his People O then depend upon his Intercession expect all your needed Mercies by him take up your Acquiescence in his Mediation for you rest satisfied Believers that your case is good and it shall be well with you in every Condition because Christ intercedeth for you Now to strengthen your Dependance on Christ Consider His Engagement to the Father to become your Advocate Heb. 10. 9. Joh. 6. 39. His Promise to Believers to pursue their Cause in Heaven Joh. 14. 16. And his full Accomplishments with whatever is needful to compleat this Work He is infinitely wise and knows how to
Spirit baptized into one body This is promised by the Lord Jesus Joh. 16. 7. Seaventhly His Promises For in him are all the Promises of God yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. That is they are sure and certain in Christ 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises Gal. 3. 22. Lastly His Kingdom Col. 1. 13. And hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son A blessed Change indeed from Sin to Grace from Darkness to Light from the Kingdom of Satan to the Kingdom of Christ 2 Pet. 1. 11. So an Entrance shall be administred to you abundantly into the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ All Believers are invested with the glorious Priviledges of this Kingdom they all become Kings and Priests unto God Rev. 1. 6. Nay a Kingdom of Priests Exod. 19. 6. They are entitled to all the royal Endowments Investments and Favours that belong to the Children of a King they all wear his royal Robes of Glory they have noble Entertainment most delicious Food the highest Honours and Thrones to sit on Christ gives them the Inheritance purchased Possessions and Mansions of Glory Fourthly The Liberality of Christ appears in the manner of his giving now this may come under a six-fold Consideration First He gives readily and propensly many give but by Constraint as the unjust Judge Luke 18. or from fear of Shame or Reproach men usually give with Reluctancy but Christ readily as Paul speaks of the Church of Macedonia 2 Cor. 8. 3. that they were prone to Charity beyond their power and of Titus ver 17. that being more forward of his own accord he went unto them so it may be more truly said of Christ that he wants no external Motives or Perswasions to exert his Bounty For First Christ's Gifts are his peoples due they have Right to all his Fullness Christ is the Believers and all that is his John 3. 16. Cant. 6. 3. I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine 1 Cor. 3. 21. For all things are yours they are purchas'd for them and given to them Secondly Christ's Office and publick Designation to this Work shews it he is set apart for this end that he might be the Author of eternal Life the Giver of all that good that his people need Joh. 17. 2. As thou hast given him Power over all Flesh that he should give eternal Life c. Joh. 6. 27. Him hath God the Father sealed that is deputed to this Office and Trust to be the Lord keeper of his House and Dispenser of his Fathers Goods All that Christ hath as Mediator is to be distributed to his he hath nothing but must be employed for the Salvation of the Elect for such is the Agreement betwixt the Father and him Joh. 17. 10. All mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them Thirdly He hath never the less for giving and therefore never weary of giving what 's that makes men soon tyred with Acts of Bounty why because the more they give the less they have and so fail at last in their Ability but 't is not so with Christ he is Fullness still notwithstanding all the vast Distributions that go out of his Treasury every day to fill up Heaven and Earth Men and Angels I remember a notable saying of a worthy Divine Should all the World says he set themselves to drink free Grace Mercy and Pardon dry drawing Water continually from the Wells of Salvation nay if they should set themselves to draw from one single Promise an Angel standing by and crying drink O my Friends drink abundantly take so much Grace and Pardon as shall be abundantly sufficient for the world of Sins which is in every one of you they would not be able to sink the Grace of the Promise one Hairs breath When Beggers come to our doors they many times promise us upon the Reception of an Alms they will trouble us no more but this would be an improper Expression to Christ whose Heart is so propense to give and whose Treasures are inexhaustible Col. 2. 9. For in him dwells all the Fullness of the God-head bodily Col. 1. 19. Forthly He gets by giving Advantage is a sure Agreement all men seek their own every man his gain from his Quarter now if giving appears to be Christ's Advantage you may be sure he will be willing to give men lavish out their Gold for Idolatry carnal persons pour out their whole Wealth upon their Lusts the Merchant adventures all he hath for Gain and can you think that Christ only will be close handed Psal 68. 18. Here 't is said he receives Gifts Eph. 4. 8. 'T is said he gave gifts what Christ receiv'd was not for himself but to give unto Sinners and that in order to his Dwelling amongst them Christ's Gifts are to further his Service 1 Pet. 4. 10. and his Peoples Profit 1 Cor. 12. 7. Fifthly He is never more pleased than when he gives This appears in his earnest inviting Souls to ask of him Joh. 16. 24. Hitherto you have asked nothing in my Name ask that your Joy may be full Had not the Lord Jesus a great Delight to dispense freely to his People he would not have us'd such Arguments to perswade them to beg 't is said of Titus Vespasian that he never denyed any thing to those that asked him but would call upon them to ask something of him Lastly This doth wonderfully greaten his Glory Joh. 14. 13. Whatever ye ask in my Name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son This verse shews the Reason why the Saints shall do greater works than those that Christ did because they shall have the Power of Christ to help them he will do for them what they ask and give them what they seek and the reason is because hereby the divine Glory is more manifested the Fathers Glory in the Sons Glory for the Father and he are one and the Fathers Glory is his Glory the more he gives the more the Father is glorified and the more the Father is glorified the more is the Son also Secondly He gives feeely without any respect to Merit or Compensation Rev. 21. 6. To him that is a thirst will I give to drink of the Water of Life freely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is without any antecedent Cause Worth or Merit Rom. 3. 24. Being justified freely by his Grace As Justification comes freely without any Worth or Righteousness in man so do all the gifts of God Rom. 8. 32. How can he but with him freely give us all things 1 Cor. 2. 12. Christ doth not sell but give his Favours freely according to the pleasure of his own Will Isa 55. 1. This is a Truth hard to be receiv'd because 't is beyond the reason of men how Grace should move without any Motives and Attractives besides it self but yet this bounty of Christ hath no respect of Persons 2
of Christ So that all what Christ hath purchased or the Father promised to Christ is due to his Seed so that Mercy Grace and Glory is as much the Believers due as Death and Vengeance is the Sinners on the score of his Sin 2 Thes 1. 6. 7. Therefore the Justice of Christ is laid to pawn for the pardon of Believers Sins upon their penitential Confession 1 John 1. 9. This is the great Error of troubled Souls that they make their Worthyness or Unworthyness the Standard and Measure of all their Expectations this is the Impotency the violated Law of God hath left on fallen man that they cannot get over Mount Sinai nor see the Righteousness of Christ and the Equity of Salvation upon his account for their Sins and Unrighteousnesses do so hang in their Eye that they cannot see themselves righteous in the Righteousness of another This Tang of a legal Spirit is a malady-Grace is long a curing in Saints themselves the want of which robs Christ of the Glory of his Grace and Righteousness But know O Believers the Lord Jesus would be unfaithful if he render not to those that live on him for Sanctification and Salvation all that he hath promised in the Gospel and hath dyed to purchase for them but this cannot be as you have heard abundantly that the Lord Jesus is faithful in acts of Remuneration he cannot keep back anothers due who would have all men to render to others their due But all that God hath made over in the new Covenant to Believers is their due and therefore will Christ render it in it's season And thus have I opened and proved this glorious Excellency of the Lord Jesus even his Faithfulness it remains now that we make some Improvement of it Vse 1. How great then is the Sin of all those that will not credit the Faithfulness of Christ there are none that perish under the Ministery of the Gospel but stumble at this stumbling block they do not judge God faithful nor believe the report given of Christ Isaiah 53. 1. Though Christ be manifestly held forth to be a perfect Saviour yet few will believe in him not one of a hundred says Calvin that hear Christ dayly will yet believe in him you know it Sinners you may safely adventure your Souls on Christ he cannot lye or fail you you have the whole word of God for your Assurance all the Scriptures testifie of him John 5. 39. Acts 18. 28. You have the Evidences of Christ's Faithfulness in his state of Humiliation he did and suffer'd all things written of him Luke 18. 31. He fulfill'd all Righteousness Matth. 3. 15. His Death Resurrection and Ascension prove him faithful in all things tending to purchase Salvation You have the Testimony of others who have found Christ faithful 1 John 1. 1 2. All the Saints on record are witnesses of Christ's Fidelity Nay you your selves have found him faithful hitherto how often hath he made good his Promises to you when you have called upon him and trusted in him for outward Mercies You trust other things that are unfaithful and yet will not believe in Christ You trust your own Hearts and they are deceitful Jer. 17. 9. You trust in men and yet they are a lye Rom. 3. 4. You trust in Creatures and yet they are vanity Eccles 1. 2. You know without Faith you must perish to all Eternity and yet will not believe in him Vse 2. Then this reproves the People of Christ for their injurious Thoughts of him Joh. 1. 11. He came unto his own and his own received him not This is an aggravation indeed that Christ's own People such as have professed him chosen him commended him and born witness of him and yet will not adventure their All upon him O this secret Jealousie of Christ is a fearful Sin This was that our Lord reproved in Thomas Joh. 20. 5. So Ioh. 14. 11. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me or else believe me for the Works sake O the Questions and Doubts that Souls have about the fulfilling of Promises how loth they are to trust Christ further than they see him Vse 3. This should humble Christians for their great unfaithfulness Alas how few are found faithful amongst the Saints this day How may we complain with the Psalmist Psal 12. 1. The godly man ceaseth and the faithful fail from among the children of men and Christ seems to Quere where he may find a faithful Steward Luk. 12. 42. And Paul says I know no man like minded to Timothy who so faithfully and naturally careth for your state O the falsness of Professors to the Lord Jesus and one another How rare is it to find one that makes Conscience of Promises and Profession one that is faithful to his Trust to his Word to his Relation-duties and in distributive Justice O Christians Mourn over your great unfaithfulness to God and men to those Souls you are concern'd in Your unfaithfulness to your Children Servants and Neighbours how little have you done for these to this day Some of you are Parents and Masters but where hath been your Industry in your Families in teaching reproving and labouring to save the Souls of those committed to you The Lord lay not the neglect of this to your Charge nor being in the Blood of your ignorant prophane perishing Families Children or Servants on your head I must tell you Friends it will be dreadfully heavy to bear the blood of Souls at the Judgment-seâ—t of Christ and yet I fear without Repentance is like to be the case of some that now hear me who have been unfaithful to the Souls of their Relations Husband Wife Children and Servants who have been too furious in reproving their Faults towards them but scarce ever reproved their Sin against God Who can hear their Children and Servants swear take God's Reverend Name in vain and see them prophane Sabbaths and spend Sacred time in Debauchery and Idleness and scarce ever check them that can suffer them to lye in Ignorance and ready to perish for want of Knowledge and never labour to catechize and instruct them in the knowledge of Salvation This is a lamentable case and will appear so when these Parents and Masters shall appear before God with their garments all gor'd and stain'd with the blood of their Families O cruel Masters and Parents that will be tender of a Horse or a Dog to feed them and secure them from want but can endure to see your children and Servants perish for want of knowledge Vse 4. Here 's Comfort to Believers Is the Lord Jesus Faithful then be of good cheer For First All the Promises of God shall be made good to you in due season He will not suffer a word to fall to the ground of all that good he hath spoken concerning you 1 Sam. 3. 19. Isa 55. 11. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Numb 23. 19. Then you cannot do too much for God you can't
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.
wounds it affords the sweetest Consolations Rom. 15. 4. That we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Ah! There 's no such pure Elixir drops to any as the Gospel drops 'T is the most reviving Spirits imaginable the water of Life that come through the Gospel O how reviving how chearing are these to drooping Souls The Gospel is the power of God to Salvation Rom. 1. 16. 'T is the arm of God to stay up the poor sinking Soul 'T is the Weapons of our Warfare which are mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds 2 Cor. 10. 4. O Souls what cause have you then to be much affected with the Love of God in giving the Gospel get your hearts warm'd with the sense of this mercy and more appreciative thoughts of these priviledges O I know not how to commend it to you O Souls prize the Gospel rate it in your esteem above the whole World Psa 119. 167. My Soul hath kept thy Testimonies and I love them exceedingly O rest not till you can say so I love the Gospel exceedingly I prize it above gold above tryed gold 'T is better than all treasures ver 72. Sweeter says David than Hony and the Hony Comb Psa 19. 10. If the Gospel be stuff'd with such Riches who would not prize the Gospel 'T is a rich Cabinet bespangled with beauty in every letter 'T is a discovery of the manifold Wisdom of God and should not you be affected with the Gospel O testifie your valuation of the Gospel by all possible demonstrations First Shew your valuation of the Gospel by blessing God for it O send Clouds of Incense to Heaven full of praises and Hosannahs to God for the Gospel Paul blesseth God that the Phillippians had the Gospel Phil. 1. 3 5. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you for your fellowship in the Gospel from the first day until now As much as to say that you have enjoy'd the Gospel a great while O from your whole hearts bless God for the Gospel 1 Thes 1. 2 5. O I am afraid Christians are not enough in this duty of praising God for the Gospel It deserves solemn days of Thanksgiving Secondly Testifie your valuation of the Gospel by doing all you can to keep it with you A person that prizeth a Jewel or piece of Gold in his hand will hold it fast O Christians if you prize the Gospel you will do all you can to keep the Gospel Pro. 23. 23. Buy the Truth and sell it not Lay out any thing to enjoy the Gospel part with your Lusts part with your Treasures let all go so you may keep the Gospel But then do not sell it O the Gospel is Treasure enough count nothing too dear for it Thirdly Testifie your valuation of the Gospel By your willingness to part with all or any thing if God call you to it for the Gospel Doth God bid you pluck out a right eye cut off a right hand let it go if God call for it Doth he call for your liberty your lives for the Gospels sake let them go Acts 21. 13. O Souls be not like the Gadarens to value your Swine above the Gospel and rather let the Gospel go than part with a little of your Estates Luke 8. 37. Fourthly Christians shew your high esteem of the Gospel by your readiness to attend it at all times To run at every call of the Gospel with Mary to sit at Christs feet though other things be out of order Luke 10. 39 40. Will not you part with a little of your business and let your Plow stand still awhile to attend upon the Ministry of the Gospel O Christians shew your prizings of the Gospel by your willingness to sit down under it at all times Fifthly Shew your high esteem of the Gospel by the greatest improvements of it while you have it Sirs you cannot tell how soon it may be taken from you or you from it you see what attempts are made against the Gospel you have reason then to make the most of it while you have it Christ gives this argument to his hearers to prize it Joh. 12. 35. Yet a little while is the light with you walk while you have the light lest darkness come upon you Be sure at the best 't is but a little time you shall have it if you live out all your time under the Gospel till your glass be run every dust 't is but a little while you shall sit under the dews of this Hermon hill the time of your life is but a little while the time of your digging in this Mine is but a little while Death will draw the Curtain and set you beyond the droppings of these dews and golden Oyls O then improve the Gospel while you have it make the most of it get all the good you can from it by way of illumination instruction Correction Faith and Consolation Christians get your heads and hearts fill'd with this precious substance what you can this will be your wisdom you will find it so when you come to reckoning O fill these Chambers of your Souls with precious treasures lay up those choice fruits that may last you in your Winter Days Get the kowledge of Christ and the unsearchable Riches of Christ more and more while you may come under the news of it O draw hard at these breasts that you may get much food and nourishment for your Souls that may serve you many a day Sixthly Shew your high valuation of the Gospel by your believing in it by your loving and obeying of it Joh. 12. 36. While you have the light believe in the light Those friends we value much we trust much Souls if you value the Gospel you will believe it The Gospel tells you He that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life It tells you he that lives after the flesh shall dye O believe it the Gospel saies If you forsake your evil ways you shall have mercy if you hold fast your sins you shall dye It tells you you cannot come at Salvation but in Salvations wayes O believe the Gospel they that know thy Name will put their trust in thee Psa 9. 10. If you did but know the worth and truth of it you would believe it you may hang all the weight of your Souls upon the Line of the Gospel you may adventure your immortal Souls upon the promises of the Gospel It will bear all your weights then love the Gospel Love the truth and peace Zach. 8. 19. Is the Gospel such a good Messenger that brings you such good news and will you not love it O Souls love the Ministrations of the Gospel And then obey the Gospel If you love Christ indeed you will keep his Commandements Joh. 14. 23. you will obey his voice This argues your esteem of the Gospel when you follow the instructions it gives you Doth God bid you forsake your