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
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
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
manage your Concerns and prosper Col. 2. 3. He hath Skill and Counsel to finish his Affairs with Discretion he knows your Cases better than your selves and what Arguments to plead so as to prevail Psal 103. 14. Joh. 2. 24. 25. Psal 31. 7. Heb. 4. 13. Isa 40. 27. 28. He is active and laborious and quick at Work as well as in Wisdom Isa 11. 3. He is still unwearied in his Business and his Spirit never fails Isa 42. 4. His Eyes are always open he never slumbers or sleeps Psal 121. 4. 1 Kin. 8. 29. Isa 27 3. He loseth no time but takes the fittest Occasion to perfect his Designs 1 Pet. 5. 6. He is faithful in his Undertakings and one whom you may confide Heb. 2. 17. His name is faithful Rev. 19. 11. He is omnipotent and powerful to fulfil his Pleasure Heb. 7. 25. The Almighty one who can prevail with the Father and is one with him Joh. 11. 42. chap. 10. 30. Consider Christ's Interest in his people they are his own John 13. 1. They are his Seed Treasure Jewels Members and Sheep Joh. 10. 3. They are his Spouse and therefore he cannot forget or neglect their Concerns Ephesians 5. 29. Isa 58. 7. Think on his Concernments in all the Affairs of his Interest by vertue of that Union betwixt Christ and his People he becomes a sharer with them in all their Conditions their Mercies are his Delight Psal 35. 27. and their Afflictions are his Trouble Isa 63. 9. He sympathizeth with them as the head with the Members and the Husband with the Spouse their loss is his Loss and their Gain he reckons as his Interest Should Saints and their Concernments miscarry at last Christ himself would be a certain and eternal Looser he would loose his Blood and purchase his Obedience and Sufferings Lastly Consider Christ's Glory consists in the Good and Salvation of Believers 2 Thes 1. 12. His Glory is wrapt up in their Glory and his Life in their Life Joh. 14. 19. 2 Cor. 8. 23. Joh. 17. 10. Fourthly acknowledge the Intercession of Christ to be the procuring Cause of all your Mercies in every Reception of Mercy see an Interceding Jesus and say Lord 't is thy Mediation I owe these Enjoyments Priviledges and Prayer-returns unto Luke 22. 32. Psal 115. 1. Pro. 3. 6. In all thy ways acknowledge him This is to pay Tribute to Christ in Heaven and advance the Glory of the blessed Mediator this is giving Christ his Due Rom. 13. 7. and a sacrificing to God and not to your Dreg as it is Christ in Belelievers is the Hope of Glory so it is Christ in Heaven is the Hope and Procurer of Mercy Fifthly If Christ be your Advocate in Heaven then follow his Instructions on Earth Matth. 17. 5. He that commits his Cause to another commits himself to his Counsel also to be guided by him in every thing that might conduce to his Success in it Christ's work in Heaven is to order and regulate his People on Earth and therefore he is the Law-giver and King as well as Saviour Isa 33. 22. Jam. 4. 12. and the Duty of all Christ's Clyents on Earth is to live by his Prescription and Order given them and therefore 't is said Numb 21. 18. The Princes digged the Well even the Nobles of the People digged it by the Direction of the Law-giver This is spoken of that famous Well Beer-Elim that is the Well of the mighty ones that God gave Israel in the Wilderness it was alone the Gift of God verse 16. I will give them Waters yet they must dig for it as here and that according to Prescription as Moses gave them from the Lord This well was a Figure of Christ as the Hebrews themselves in their Midrash Koheleth do acknowledge as say they The first Redeemer caused a Well to spring up so the last Redeemer shall cause Waters to spring up as 't is said Joel 3. 18. A Fountain shall come forth from the House of the Lord and shall water the Valley of Shittim which signified the Graces of the Spirit that Well of Water springing up to Life eternal Joh. 4. 14. Sixthly Become Advocates for Christ on Earth confess his name Rom. 14. 11. chap. 15. 9. Phil. 2. 11. Plead his cause before men Hos 2. 2. Plead with your Mother This is spoken to the pious in Israel as Jonathas Caldaeus Jerom and others conceive who are the men and the whole House of Israel their Mother and their pious Children must plead that is expostulate reason and contend with her for God to bring her to the Sense of her Sin and Danger the Lord Jesus underwent all dangers in owning your Cause so should you in his he always intercedes for you so should you for him in Word and Deed your Lives and Lips should plead for him He pleads effectually for you so should you labour to be as successful as you may for him Joh. 3. 29. and in order to the Discharge of this important Duty consider That the suitable Qualifications of an Advocate must be acquired you must get Wisdom to know Christ and the things of his Will Kingdom and Glory you are not likely to do much Service to Christs Interest if you are ignorant and unacquainted with his Laws and Concernments Mic. 6. 8. Col. 1. 9 10. 2 Pet. 3. 18. Matth. 10. 16. Phil. 1. 9. Eph. 1. 17. You must be active and vigorous for God Rom. 12. 11. Slothful Spirits are not like to be much serviceable Prov. 27. 15. Eccles 10. 18. chap. 9. 10. Heb. 6. 11 12. You must be faithful and have Truth in the inner parts Rev. 2. 10. 1 Cor. 4. 2. Luke 12. 42. You must labour after Potency and Mightiness through Christ that you may prevail for him Phil. 4. 13. 1 Chro. 22. 13. 1 Cor. 16. 13. Now the way to get this Strength for Christ is by Faith to live on him Eph. 6. 10. 2 Tim. 2. 1. You must make a thorough and open Profession of him and of all his Truth 1 Tim. 6. 12 13 14. Heb. 4. 14. 2 Cor. 9. 13. profess him at all times Matth. 10. 32. profess him openly plainly sincerely and boldly so did the Apostles You must patiently persevere under all Sufferings for him Acts 21. 13. 2 Tim. 2. 10. Heb. 10. 32. You must speak well for Christ at all times Mat. 11. 19. Cant. 5. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 9. You must live out his Glory Math. 5. 16. Phil. 2. 15. 2 Cor. 9. 13. Thus have we done with the Applicatory part of this Point and dispatch'd the wonderful Riches of Christ as to his personal Union CHAP. IX Opening somewhat of the sweet Dispositions of Christ viz. His Goodness Love and the Riches thereof as to the kind Fruits and Effects of it I Am now come to the third particular wherein we shall make a Discovery of the Riches of Christ as they consist in his excellent and sweet Dispositions as Mediator with those
Honour and Power Job 12. 18. He looseth the bonds of Kings that is their Girdle by which he means their Power and Authority which he removes now instead of this Ensign of Honour which Kings did wear Christ shall be cloathed with Faithfulness and Righteousness this shall be his Ornament and Glory Heb. 2. 17. He is the faithful high-priest First He is faithful and just to all men even to his very Enemies he will not wrong them in the least he renders to every one his due Rom. 2. 6. The very Hypocrites shall have their Reward Matth. 6. 2. The Lord Jesus will not give cause to any to say at the last day that he is their Debtor or doth them Wrong Matth. 20. 13. The wicked shall have their Portion in this Life all that is coming to them as much as they can in Justice demand If Ahab repent he shall have Reprieve from his Punishment eternal Repentance shall obtain eternal Deliverance If Esau pray for the Blessings of this life with Tears God will give them to him he cannot be a Debtor to any his very Enemies shall have their due as much as their outward Duties or servile Labours amount to for the holy one of Israel cannot lye what Promise soever God makes to any outward Action or Vertue it shall certainly be fulfilled he cannot defraud any the Pharisees shall have their Honour Judas his bag Demas the World and Dives his Pleasures he that commands his People to render every one their due cannot possibly wrong any Secondly He is faithful to his People 1 Pet. 4. 19. Let them that suffer according to the Will of God commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator That is Christ is able to keep you in Sufferings because he made you of nothing and he that gave you a being when you were nothing he can keep you now though all the World be set against you He can do it because he created you of nothing and he will do it because he is faithful and hath promised now this Faithfulness of Christ to his people lies First In his exact Accomplishment of all his Prophesies All things written concerning him are fulfilled in him Luke 18. 31. A tittle of God's word shall not fall to the ground all the Types and legal Figures as they shadowed out Christ to come namely the High-priest the Altar the scape Goat c. were perfectly accomplisht in him they were the Shadows he the Substance all Scripture Prophesies concerning divine Providence the Resurrection of Sion and the Destruction of Babylon shall be fulfilled to one Iota Luke 21. 22. Secondly in performing his Promises never an Engagement made by the Father to the Son or by him to his people but he will see it assuredly made good Rom. 15. 8. 1 Kings 8. 28. 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his Promises Tit. 1. 2. 2 Cor. 1. 20. All the Promises are in him yea and Amen Object Christ's Faithfulness in fulfilling his Promises pertains only to the Heirs of the Promises but I cannot call the Promises mine because of my unfaithfulness to God Answ The Promises of God are not made to the Doers of the Law or Goâ—pel but to Believers nor are they made for doing but upon believing 'T is true by Faithfulness and Obedience comes the thing promised but a Title to the Promises is procured by believing pray put a distinction between the Promises and the thing promised Gal. 3. 22. That the promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Heb. 6. 17 18. The promise of Grace Healing and Salvation depends not upon the fidelity of the saved Soul but upon the faithfulness of God in Christ Obj. But I do not find the Promises made good to me God hath said He will never leave nor forsake his People but I doubt he hath forsaken me for I cannot see his out-goings in the Sanctuary He hath promised to hear the Prayers made in his Name to dispence Grace to give out his Spirit and to create a new heart but I find not the performance of these things in me Answ First If the Lord Jesus doth not fulfill his Promises 't is because thou art not fit for them God would have brought Israel into Canaan near forty years before he did but they were not fit for that mercy They were carnal lusting murmuring rebelling so that God sent them back again into the Wilderness Christ would have taught his People many glorious Truths but they were not able to bear them Joh. 16. 12. Food yea the choicest Dainties upon a distempered Stomach are cast away they feed nothing but the Disease If God accomplish not his Word to thee 't is because thou art uncapable for it Thy Iniquities it may be withhold good things from thee Isa 59. 1. Secondly Christ may be performing his Promises though thou dost not see it For First Christ doth fulfill his Promise though he doth not give the same thing he seems to promise If he give thee that which is equivalent in the room of it So if the Lord doth not give his People the Comforts of this Life yet if he gives them Contentment without them he fulfills his Promise So he dealt with Paul Phil. 4. 11. I have learned in every state to be contented and with David Psal 16. 6. The Disciples had nothing yet in the want of all they had all things 2 Cor. 6. 10. If in the want of Bread God gives Strength and Satisfaction he fulfills his Word The wicked in their Fulness are in Straits Joh 20. 22. But the Godly in their Straits have a Fulness Secondly Christ doth fulfill his Promise though he gives not the same thing if he gives a better thing If Christ withholds Earthly things and gives Spiritual As Saul found not his Asses but in the room of them met with a Kingdom The Disciples lost their Nets and Boats and found a Treasure in Christ They lost their taking of Fish and became Fishers of men Paul suffer'd a Shipwrack of all his own Excellencies and found the Excellencies of Christ Thirdly Christ fulfills his Promises though he do not give the same things his People would have yet if he gives them sutable things such as he sees best sutes and fits their present state So the Disciples expected a Temporal Kingdom but Christ gave them a Spiritual Kingdom It may be a little Mercy is more sutable for thee than a great deal Children must have their meat suted to their Health not their Stomach Paul could not bear much Vision of God and therefore must have a Thorn in the Flesh 2 Cor. 12. 7. Fourthly Christ doth fulfill his Promise though he doth not give thee what thou thinkest thou dost want if he give thee what he knows thou wantest Rom. 8. 26. Thou supposest thou wantest Comforts he withholds them and gives thee humblings Fifthly Christ fulfills his Promise though he doth
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
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
Regards for these and no more for this Grace of God O wonder more at this Love Fourthly Consider how this is the great Design of God in this grace that you should be to his praise Eph. 1. 12. That is the end which God aimed at in Predistinating you to Glory that you might be to the Praise of his grace that his Grace might procure the Manifestation of his Praise 't is not for an Enlargement of his Revenue or Advancement of his Profit for man cannot be profitable to God Job 22. 22. or for any addition to his Honour being above all Praise but that he might receive the Tribute of his own Glory and the returns of his outgoing Goodness Now if this be the very end why God sets his love upon you Christians then you have reason to glorifie his Grace lest you endeavour to overturn the whole Projâ—cts of Salvation-kindness Fifthly Think how delightful Praise is to God Psal 69. 31. This also shall please the Lord better than an Oxe or a Bullock that hath Horns and Hoofs That is an Adult and full grown Beast which is more fit for Sacrifice as Rabbi D. Kimohy notes a Beast was not fit for Sacrifice under two years old so that Praise is preferred here above all Sacrifice as that which God takes most delight in of any thing because this doth most honour him to acknowledge him the Author of all Mercy and God of all Grace Psal 50. 23. Whoso offereth Praise glorifieth me That is He doth in a singular manner shew forth mine Honour and this is pleasing to him Sixthly This brings Profit to your own Souls Psal 50. 23. For 't is the means and way to obtain the Salvation of God Ponit viam aut praeparat viam saith one it opens the way for Salvation to go out to that Soul this duty of Praise will bring you Gain because it engageth God to give out more Mercy and it leaves Influences of spiritual Good on your own Souls it puts the heart into a good Frame to love God and delight in him and leaves more obligedness on the Soul to fear and serve God so David after that Psalm of Praise to God 2 Sam. 7. was wonderfully influenced to duty to God as you may see chap. 8. 11. and had his Spirit abundantly sweetned to men chap. 9. 1. Lastly Consider also how pleasant this duty of Praise is to the Soul it self it is wonderfully delightful and abundantly affects and ravishes the Heart to have the sense of divine Mercy in it Psal 147. 1. Praise ye the Lord for it is pleasam and Praise is comely O Believers let me effectually perswade you then to the highest Acknowledgments of Redemption-grace and to the utmost Praises for this rich Jesus who hath blessed you with all spiritual Blessings Eph. 1. 3. 2 Duty Secondly You that have an Interest in this glorious Redeemer labour to keep up a high valuation of him in your Hearts if he be so rich as the Gospel reports of him O then prize him acoording to his excellent worth Great men are highly esteemed the Cap the Knee the best Room the chiefest Seat are theirs Jam. 3. 3. And how much more worthy is Christ of your account 1 Pet. 2. 7. To you that believe he is precious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies an high Estimation of anothers Worth and Excellency ready to be attested by all possible and due Demonstrations four things should oblige Believers to a high Esteem of Christ First His own transcendent Excellency which singularly resides in him and eminently shines out from him ten thousand times brighter than the Beams of the Sun which in their own nature challenge the highest Adoration of men and Angels especially of saved Souls to whom he is most endeared and most nearly related As the Apple-tree excells the meanest and most useless Shrub infinitely more doth the Lord Jesus over top all the Glory of the world as Mediator Cant. 2. 3. He is the chiefest of ten thousands Cant. 5. 10. He is before all things Col. 1. 17. Both in dignity and time he precedes all Creatures he is the Fountain of all Excellencies his divine and personal Perfections make him the glory of Heaven the adoration of Angels the admiration of Saints and the object of all Observance and holy Wonder 2 Thes 1. 10. Secondly The high honour the Father puts upon him He is his Well-beloved Matth. 3. 17. The object of his Delight the Exaltation of his right-hand who hath put all things under his Feet Heb. 2. 8. Set over the works of his hands crowned with Glory and Honour vers 7. Worshipped by all the Angels by the Fathers Appointment and set down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 1. 3. 6. entrusted with all the Concerns and Interests of God in the World made his pleni-potentiary to compose all Differences betwixt himself and fall'n man now hath the Father such a high Valuation of Christ then surely 't is an unworthy thing in you to detract from his Honour 3dly The Lord Jesus Christ deserves your high Estimation because he is the Fountain of all those Streams that do make glad your Souls the Sun of all those Beams that warm your Hearts the Author of all those Mercies that do supply and delight you all your Excellencies and the things you mostly value are Derivations from his glory things are ratable as they come from Christ he turns your Water into Wine sweetens your bitter Cups and makes them to overflow all your graces come from his Fullness he is your Friend your best Friend your old Friend your none-such in Heaven and Earth Psal 73. 25. The Procurer of all your Mercies the sweetness of all your Comforts the crown of all your Glory and doth he not deserve your Estimation If he hide his Face all Light goes with him if he suspends the Communications of his Favour nothing is comfortable to you if he lock up his Treasures nothing bâ—t Poverty and wasting covers your Souls every thing without him is nothing and with him any little thing is enough Bread and Water is rich cheer with Christ Disgrace and Reproach is Honour with Christ Poverty is Riches with Christ O prize Christ then for he puts a worth upon all things that you can enjoy Fourthly Consider the wonderful value the Lord Jesus Christ puts upon you and let this perswade you to a due valuation of him Gal. 2. 20. Who loved me and gave himself for me Joh. 15. 16. O amazing wonderful sovereign Grace That the Son of God should set his highest Regards upon loathsome Dung swept out of door by divine Justice cast out into the open Field pityful loathsome undone Creatures that he should account you Believers as the Apple of his Eye who have been as Thorns in his side that he should account you as a Seal on his Heart who have been spears to pierce through his Bowels that he should value you as the travel
the best of you your fair and specious Duties but he sees your inside and all your secret Rottenness when you sit before him as his People sit and seem devout in your Services he at the same time knows where your Thoughts are wandring and espies every vain Motion and sinful glance of your deceitful Eye when thou prayest with greatest Zeal his Eye is upon thy close Hypocrisie thy spiritual Pride thy base ends and those conceived Lusts which will break out when thy Duties are over O how should this abase thy proud Heart and prevent thy swelling Thoughts upon conceited Excellencies in thy self or supposed Worth in thy Duties seeing he knows what is in thee and how vain man would be wise This also should advise thy Soul to Sincerity in thy Profession Purposes Promises Duties because he beholds thee and weighs thy Paths searcheth thy Heart tries thy Reins and will shortly bring thy secret things to Judgment Lastly This counsels such as want Wisdom to be looking to Jesus and waiting at the Fountain and Spring-head for their Instruction Sixthly the Omnipotency of Christ is another of those glorious Properties of the divine nature which renders him so vast and unconceivable a Treasure to all that receive him He is the mighty God the everlasting Father Isa 9. 6. who hath infinite Strength to order and establish his Kingdom and to exert his Government in Sion and over Nations his Strength must needs be infinite because his Kingdom is eternal no created humane arm can sway the Scepter of the World and maintain an everlasting Rule over the Hearts and Conversations of all his People in all Ages and therefore he must be God and the mighty God to transact the whole Work that concerns him as Mediator and to answer the Appellations given him in Scripture Things are ascribed to Christ which cannot be performed by less than an infinite Power First His creating all things in Heaven and Earth Col. 1. 16. By him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him He is the eternal Word the Exemplar and efficient Cause of all created Beings The Heavens and Earth Angels and men the Inhabitants of the upper and nether World were all form'd by Jehovah Christ who gave Being to all his Creatures as pleased him and therefore his Power must needs be Almighty who is the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the ends of the Earth that fainteth not be that giveth Breath unto the People upon it and Spirit to them that walk therein Isa 40. 28. chap. 42. 5. What a potent Lord have Believers chosen who can supersede all their Difficulties by his Creation-help if his whole Store-house of Heaven and Earth be not full enough to supply their Wants he can soon set forth a new Edition of Mercies by his own immediate arm if their way to Glory lye through a waste howling Wilderness where no Foot-steps can be seen to guide them he can create a Cloud by day and Pillar of Fire by Night to conduct them If their Provisions fail to relieve them in their Journey he can rain a Shower of Manna from his secret Granary and open the Caverns of the Flinty Rock and put new Springs into the barren Wilderness to refresh them when they are invironed with Troops of Death he can in a Moment interpose his fiery Chariots and Horse-men and when all their Deliverers fail send from Heaven and save them when the Visibility of Religion ceases and the Heavens pass away as a Scrole when the Glory of the Lords House is dissolv'd into a Chaos when the Gold of the Sanctuary is become Dross and the Gospel-Church metamorphoz'd into the old World he can even then create a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness Is thy Heart Believer full of filthiness Thy Redeemer can create a clean Heart and if thy Tempest-tossed Soul can find no rest thy Lord can create the Fruit of the Lips Peace for thee What is too hard for a creating Arm to do Or what can undoe that People who have a faithful Creator to commit themselves and all their Concerns unto Secondly Another Proof of the Omnipotency of Christ is the upholding all things by the Word of his Power Heb. 1. 4. Who being the Brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person and upholding all things by the Word of his Power Here 's another Royalty of the divine Nature of Christ a new beaming out of his Glory as God even in the bearing up maintaining and Dispose of the whole Creation in the former ver the forming of the Universe and whole World was ascribed to Christ and here the Preservation of it also is laid upon him as a further Evidence of his oneness with the Father having begun his Work in the Creation he carries it on in his providential Sustentation thereof He is before all things and by him all things consist Col. 1. 17. He is the Foundation that underprops the whole Fabrick of Heaven and Earth which would soon sink down into its first nothing if everlasting Arms were withdrawn from beneath it he that first gives Being to his Creatures must continue it Conservation is but a Continuation of the first act of Creation to preserve the World from Destruction to continue the Creatures in their peculiar Nature and Properties and to govern those Diversities in an united Subserviency to his Will and Glory and the Well-being of the whole is a work of infinite Power and needs the same Strength that first produced them And this is the work Christians of your Messiah that person who is God-Man who by his divine power and efficacious Providence animates actuates cherishes quickens and sweetly disposes of all Creatures Actions and Affairs in the World He is the great Monarch of Heaven and Earth that changes Times and Seasons whose hands are under his Wings and hath a wheel within the Wheels that turns about things as pleaseth him brings Light out of Darkness Order out of Confusion Good out of Evil who hath the Government on his Shoulders and absolute Power in his hand to dispose of all persons and things as may most further the Pleasure of his own Will the Advance of his Glory and the Good of them that fear him And is not this Security enough to those who have intrusted themselves and all their Concerns with this glorious Potentate and King of Kings who hath the Management of all things in Heaven and Earth that it shall be well at last with the righteous the momentous Affairs of the world and of Sion shall issue in the best Good of those that love his Name How should this calm the tumultuous Fears of the godly into a sweet Serenity of Spirit and still their tempestuous Thoughts in a quiet Relyance on the Arm Care and
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
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
that you know not of Vse 3. Of Exhortation First to perishing Sinners make use of the Mercy of Christ whilst you have it now is the acceptable time the day of Grace the Season of Visitation now the Sun shines not only in Sion but on Sodom nay it hath stood still on your Gibeon for a Season Josh 10. 12. 13. O let not Mercy go and leave you in your blood and let you lye in your Graves let not the Sun of the Gospel set on you and leave you in inner Darkness lest outer Darkness shortly seize upon you believe it Mercy seems to be near a Departure it looks as it were about to change Houses to go from Gentiles to Jews from West to East it seems near setting in England in these Western parts of the World Who knows how soon it may arise in the East O Sinners don't you lye a bed in your Security and let Mercy give you the slip O then you that are yet in your blood under Wrath in Danger of Judgment be advised to strike in with Mercy while 't is to be had Isa 55. 6. while divine Bowels yearn towards you weep over you and wait for you O turn in and close with Mercy whiles it's face is unveil'd to you it's Arms open'd to you and before it hath breath'd it's last Breath to you believe the Warnings and Treatnings of Mercy bow and stoop to the Convictions of Mercy receive the Tenders thereof obey it's Counsel and persevere it it's way be perswaded Sinners this day it may be the last time I may beseech you for Mercies sake to turn and live and Oh! how doleful will it be to out-live the day of Mercy and possibility of obtaining Salvation when the Angel of the Lord shall proclaim Time shall be no more Time was but now is past Secondly to all Souls both changed and unchanged if the Lord Jesus be so pityful to you O then be not cruel to your own Souls do not rob cheat and cozen your own Souls deprive them not of your own Mercies Jonah 2. 8. Don't consent to those ways that will rob you of all the Possibilities and Hopes of Salvation O! the sweet Comforts and Pleasures that now you loose for a few dirty Delights Prov. 3. 17. Think on the Substance the tryed Gold the rich Attire that you deprive your Souls of by refusing to hearken to the Counsel of Christ Rev. 3. 18. Don't starve your Souls by feeding on Husks while the bread of Life lies before you this is Cruelty to them indeed Luke 15. 16. 17. Do not wound rend and tare your Souls by cruel Lusts he that sins hateth his own Soul Prov. 15. 32. chap. 29. 24. Math. 16. 26. O the sad Bruises that Sin gives and the desperate Gashes it makes in the Sinners own Soul Isa 1. 6. Prov. 8. 36. Every Sin of thine O carnal wretch is a deadly blow on thy own Soul all thy carnal Pleasures thy merry jesting Words thy Swearing Lying Cheating Oppressing and Covetousness gives new Stabs to thy Heart it would be a barbarous sight to behold one unmercifully wounding another much more to see a person torturing his own Soul do not sell thy immortal Soul for a Lie for that which is not which will not profit in the day of Wrath Rom. 6. 21. Jer. 16. 19. Thus Elijah told Ahab 1 Kings 21. 20. That he sold himself to work Wickedness that is he gave himself wholly to the Service of Sin as a Servant that binds himself over to anothers Business Rom. 6. 16. Thirdly To the Children of Mercy whom the Lord Jesus hath loved and washed in his own Blood you that are chosen called justified sanctified and adopted unto Glory be exhorted First be not hard-hearted to Christ requite not his Pity with Cruelty grieve not his Spirit sadden not his Heart with your sinful and unsutable Walkings before him no Sins make greater Wounds on the Heart of Christ than the Sins of his own Children Eph. 4. 30. O be not cruel to him who is so tender of you do not feed him with Wormwood and Gall who hath feasted you with Joy and Gladness yea with his own Heart blood Secondly Put on Bowels of Pity towards others Col. 3. 12. They that are cruel to others shall find God cruel to them Jam. 2. 13. Thirdly Adventure for God in the way of Duty Psal 5. 7. Psal 23. 6. Psal 25. 10. Fourthly Then let the Consideration of Christ's Mercy comfort you under the World's Cruelty and your greatest Sufferings for Christ Psal 57. 3. Psal 32. 7. 10. Psal 59. 17. CHAP. XIII Wherein is opened the transcendent Humility of Christ ANother part of this total Sum of Christ's personal Treasure consisting in the Sweetness of his Disposition is Fourthly His Humility and Lowliness of mind This is an excellent Vertue and that which the very Heathens have esteemed at a high Rate 't is a rare thing saith Aretius and rare things are excellent Chrysostom calls it the chiefest Vertue the Salt that seasons all other Excellencies and the Beginning of all Good If any saith Austin should ask me what is the chiefest Vertue I should say Humility what is the next Humility what is the next Humility The humble Soul saith Manton is God's second Heaven Isa 57. 15 Of so great a worth is all true Humility in any especially in Persons of Height and Grandure for these to come down and humble themselves is exceeding high and noble O then what is Humility in the high and lofty one in the Lord of Glory and King of Kings and Lord of Lords yet this is part of Christ's Treasure Mat. 11. 29. Learn of me for I am meak and lowly He who best knew himself who is Truth it self and cannot lye hath declared that he is lowly and that not in Carriage and external Shew only but in Heart also O what stupendious wonder is this that so glorious a person as the only begotten Son of God should be lowly in Heart I speak not here of his divine Nature as God though in that respect he is lowly too Isa 57. 15. Though he inhabiteth the highest Heaven yet he dwelleth also in the lowest Heart yea 't is wonderful Condescension in God to behold the things that are in Heaven and Earth Psal 113. 5 6. But I treat here of Christ as Mediator God-man and so he is humble and lowly in Heart which will appear if we consider these particulars First His Humility whilst he was on Earth Secondly His Humility now he is in Heaven His Humility on Earth consists first in his Willingness being God over all and Maker of all to become man his Creature this is strange that the Son of God should be willing to be accounted yea to become the Son of man Heb. 2. 16. He did not take the Nature of Angels upon him but he took on him the Seed of Abraham so vers 14. Forasmuch then as the Children were Partakers of Flesh and
not deliver thee out of thy present Evils if he thereby preserves thee from a greater Evil As Paul had a thorn in the Flesh the Messenger of Satan to buffet him lest through the abundance of Revelations he should be puffed up and his Soul in danger of Ruine Lastly Christ doth fulfill his Promise if he doth it in his own time though he doth it not in our time So in Abraham God promised him a Son he expected it many years sooner but God kept it till the most convenient season Every thing is beautiful in its season Eccles 3. 11. 1 Pet. 5. 6. Mercies are Afflictions when out of due time Now 't is he that gives the Mercy can best tell when to give it Jer. 49. 19. Who will appoint me the time Lev. 26. 4. The Faithfulness of Christ is firm and unalterable whatever Objections Unbelief makes against it He will perform all his Promises Gen. 28. 15. And behold I am with thee and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest and will bring thee again into this Land for I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of O what a blessed word is this 'T is a promise made to Jacob when he was to undertake a difficult Journey and what things are written are written for our Instruction Promises made to particular Saints are applicable to all the Saints in the same condition as we find that of Joshua 1. 5. I will not leave thee nor forsake thee The Apostle makes Use of it Heb. 13. 5. Now I shall give a few Reasons to prove that Christ cannot fail of fulfilling his Promise For First He is Truth it self and cannot lye Rev. 3. 14. He is called The Amen the faithful and true Witness The Holy one of Israel who cannot lye For God is not as man that he should lye or as the Son of man that he should repent hath he said and shall he not do it hath be spoken and shall he not make it good Numb 23. 19. Secondly He came to fulfill all Righteousness Matth. 3. 15. It becometh us to fulfil all Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It behoveth us I ought to do it by the Appointment and Will of my Father as Chemnitius renders it Christ came into the World to fulfill all Righteousness Now to perform and make good the Promises of God is part of this Righteousness 't is a debt God is engag'd in and Christ came not only to pay Sinners debts to the Father but to make good the Father's Engagements unto them Thirdly Did not Christ fulfill all the Promises of God to Believers then the New Covenant would be an imperfect and faulty Covenant were the Promises of the new Covenant unfulfilled then it would be a Covenant of Works and so imperfect But the New Covenant is establisht on better Promises Heh 8. 6 7 c. Now new Covenant-promises are better than the old not only as to the Matter of them but as to the certainty of their performance The first Covenant-promises were liable to be broken Jer. 31. 31 32. But these New Covenant-promises are sure to all the Seed This was the principal thing undertaken in the New Covenant for Believers that the Promises should be certainly fulfilled and therefore 't is called a better Covenant than the Old Fourthly Christ must needs fulfill the Promises or he would die in vain and shed his Blood to no purpose for the Blood of Christ is the Blood of the Covenant Matth. 26. 28. and it was shed on purpose to confirm the truth of the Promise to all that believe Heb. 9. 15. For this end he came into the World and became a Mediator Rom. 15. 8 9. Fifthly That he might finish the Work the Father gave him to do and so give up his Account with joy This is the Work God sent Christ into the World for that he might be the Mediator of the New Covenant and make good the Will of God to all the Federates thereof Joh. 6. 38. to 41. and this Christ cannot fail to perform Joh. 17. 4. His Spirit shall not fail till he hath set Judgment on the Earth Isa 42. 4. Sixthly That he may stop the mouth of Devils and prove Satan a Lyar. The great work of Satan is to belye God and represent him to Sinners Unfaithful and untrue Now Christ is to fight against the Devil and destroy his Works 1 Joh. 3. 8. and prove the Truth of God against all opposers Rom. 3. 4. Seventhly He is fully able to do it He hath all Power in his hand both in Heaven and in Earth Matth. 28. 18. He is a merciful God and so nothing is too hard for him He will work and none shall let it besides he hath all that Grace and Goodness that poor Souls need in his own hand He hath received the Spirit without measure Joh. 3. 34. All Fulness dwells in him Name any thing which thou standest in need of which is not in Christ to give thee Dost thou want Pardon Peace of Conscience Grace Holiness Power over thy Corruptions Victory over thy Temptations Comfort under thy Troubles satisfaction of thy Doubts quieting of thy Fears and remove of thy Burdens Dost thou want quicknings softnings for the hardness of thy Heart strengthnings under thy weakness fitness for thy Mercies and Duties Patience under thy Sufferings and Humility under thy Priviledges Dost thou want thankfulness for thy Mercies clearing up of thy Evidences Tasts of God's Love and readiness for Death Judgment and Eternity Why all this Christ hath in his own hand already He is not to seek for these things when thou criest after them Again As he hath Power to help thee and fulfill all the Promises of God to thee so he hath Right and Authority too He is the Angel of the Covenant Mal. 3. 1. He is sent deputed and sealed of God to this very Work Joh. 6. 27. All the Promises upon that Redemption-agreement betwixt the Father and the Son are made over to him and put into his hand 2 Cor. 1. 30. Now all that Christ can do for the making good of his Father's Word and benefitting his People he will certainly perform for he ever liveth to make Intercession Heb. 7. 25. and is entred into Heaven to appear as their Advocate and Agent Heb. 9. 24. Lastly Christ must needs fulfill his Promises or else he would weaken the Encouragement of Souls to believe in him and so overthrow all his own Design in and by the Gospel which is to bring Souls to believe in him Joh. 20. 31. These are written that you may believe Joh 17. 21. That the World may believe that thou hast sent me Joh. 10. 38. Now if Christ fails of his Promise how would this discourage Souls from believing in him who would trust Christ should he not be faithful and the Devil would be sure to make the most of this Advantage to prevent believing Christ will make good his
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 Pool's side near the means of cure but never the better ver 6. 7. And so continued till Christs time came to cure him So Israel were barren and unfruitful till the Lord became a dew to them Hos 14. 5. Therefore this is no discouragement if thou believe and come to Christ God will be a dew to thee and thou shalt quickly find a change 8. Object But saith one I am not only never the better for all the means of grace but I am worse than I was before when I was under first awakenings my heart was more tender but now my heart seems to be more brawny and hard I find more unbelief than ever more indisposition to go to Christ I am worse than I was Answ So was Sarah too as to the receiving the promised mercy more and more indisposed she complaines of the deadness of her womb she was past age to be the Mother of Children till the time of life came then Sarah's growing indisposition becomes no impediment at all to the fulfilling of the promise So was Israel they began to say for their part their hope was cut off and God had forsaken them when mercy was nearest to them So the woman that had a bloody issue twelve years and had spent all that she had on Physitians yet was nothing bettered but rather grew worse till Christ came and healed her Mark 5. 25 26. Persons are usually worst in their own eyes when mercy is nearest their doors Again Thy not comming to Christ is the cause of thy decaies and hardnings 't is thy unbelief that deadens thy heart and withers thy Soul Christ doth withdraw his influence from such and refuseth to do any mighty works in them because of unbelief O then Soul come away to Christ and this is the way to cure thee 9. Object But saies the Soul Christ seems to take no notice of me I call but he heareth me not I come to Ordinances but I cannot see him nay he seems to be angry with me every thing goes against me his word speaks bitter things to me methinks there 's never a threatning but belongs to me I am the Hypocrite and unclean person that God strikes at in every Sermon and his rod lies heavy on me too and in the way of his providence he writes bitter things against me Answ Soul is this thy case doth Christ take no notice of thee It is because thou takest so little of him when he unveils his beauty thou dost not believe in him when he makes a promise to thy Soul When he sends words of Counsel thou dost not obey him He hath called and thou hast not answered and therefore when thou callest he doth not answer Zach. 7. 13. Yet at such a time what follows doth God make an end of such sinners No see Chap. 8. 2 3. O Soul if the Lord Jesus Christ seems to take no notice of thee but to frown upon thee it is to frown thee from thy unbelief it is but to make thee sensible of thy slighting him If thou wilt this day accept of the Lord Jesus Christ his frowns will soon pass away as a dark Cloud doth when the Sun shines he will remember thy Iniquities no more 10. Object But may some Soul say I would fain come to Christ but I cannot I like the terms well but O my unbelieving heart O my impenitent hard heart I cannot sense Salvation-kindness Answ O Soul The afflicting sense of thy unbelief is a hopeful sign of thy faith If thou dost see thy unbelieving heart so as to be burdened under it and be weary of it the Lord reckons it for the beginnings of faith Mark 9. 24. This is the method of Salvation-Grace in begetting faith to convince thee of its impotency to believe Joh. 16. 9. Soul is this thy weariness that thou canst not come to Christ Wouldst thou have a wider heart for him Thou art the Soul he waits for that mournest over thy unbelief Mark 9. 24. But there 's one thing more may be as a discouragement to some Souls 11. Object O saies the Soul I fear the time is past and that God will be gracious no more I have had a day of grace but that is gone The Angel came troubling the Waters but I would not step in I bave had the dawnings of mercy but I resisted I fear I have outstood my Market That I have outstrived the Spirit so long that he will strive no more And this bows me down that I am afraid to look up Answ Sinner if this be thy case know that thy fears of losing the day of grace is a sign it is not lost The greatest symptome of departing grace is security and false peace 1 Thes 5. 3. So it was with the people before the flood Noah threatned judgments but they dreamt of peace Math. 24. 37. c. Security usher'd in the departure of grace from them But while the Spirit of grace strives with thy Soul the day of grace is not past from thee Doth God call upon thee now and plead with thy heart And dost thou find some movings and turnings of thy Bowels in thee crying out O that there might be mercy for me that this day of grace may not be past If so then sure the Spirit strives yet with thy Soul Therefore Soul if now thou wilt close with Christ none of these pleas can debar thy closing with him Well Sinners consider the Lord Jesus Christ invites you to come to him once more he demands your answer what say you will you be his or no Do your hearts accept of him Do you like his proposals will you heartily consent to be his upon all his terms If so I shall lay down some Counsels to direct you in your right comming to Christ First Sinner if thou will come to Christ thou must come as a poor needy empty undone Sinner stript of all beauty as having nothing at all that may deserve his favour 'T is the poor have the Gospel Preached to them Math. 11. 5. It signifies such as are brought to great necessities and extremities So Beza renders it Such as are brought very low Therefore some derive it from a word that signifies falling down at the rich Mens feet As some beggers will Ferus interprets it the poor in Spirit that acknowledge themselves mean and are low in their own eyes So Calvin takes it for them that are oppressed with the sense of their own wants such as feel their pinching necessities that lye down overwhelm'd with the apprehension of their emptiness The Treasures of the Gospel are design'd to such Persons that are poor and afflicted in their own Spirits There 's no greater obstacle in this Match betwen Christ and sinners than a sense of self worthyness This keeps many from seeing the beauty of Christ their own Righteousness hangs in their eye they are too heavy laden with their own thick clay I mean the sense of their own worthyness to be
not at all your hopes of such great and glorious things upon uncertainties if you miss and fail in your propriety to this Estate you are undone for ever There 's no repairing the loss of Christ when you come to dye All your after-wit cannot mend this bad bargain when time is past If you build upon the sand till the building time be over you will have an Eternitie to repent your folly there 's no room for another adventure when the door of Heaven is shut If you have too carelesly and groundlesly laid your hopes of Christ and Glorie and and so are secure till the time be past you can no more make tryal of a better building O how great will the faâ—l of mistaken hopes be at last when the Hypocrite shall say too late wo is me I am deceived all my hopes for Heaven have Proved a Lye I did suppose my title was good and others thought so too I could tell of Experiences and dreamt of closing with Christ I have had my Convictions Desires Tastes Affections Parts Priviledges and high hopes of Glory But alas now I see my building is upon the sand wo to me all must down again I have run in vain and now I must sit down in sorrow to all eternity O lamentable when time is gone to come to such a pass And surely this will be thy case whoever thou art that hast not sure grounds of thy interest in Christ Therefore Christians take not up upon probable hopes but put it out of doubt that Christ is yours and this state is yours Quest But saies the Soul I confess it will be sad and doleful to hear of these excellent treasures and miss of all at last But how might I do to be satisfied in this matter to know that Christ is mine and his Riches mine For the resolution of this Case I shall speak to four things 1. How and in what manner a title to Christ and those glorious treasures are to be obtained 2. Who they are that do obtain them 3. What is requisite towards the obtaining of them 4. What are the certain and specifical fruits and effects of such an obtaining 1. How or in what manner may the soul come to have a Right to Christ Answ There are three usual ways by which persons obtain a Title to a thing 1. By Birth 2. By Purchase 3. By Gift First By Birth On this a natural Relation is founded A Child comes to have a right to his Fathers Inheritance by Birth This way the Blessing and Birth-right fell to the First-born So Esau had his Title to the Birth-right and Blessing could he have kept it Gen. 27. 32. So Manasseh had a right to the Blessing because he was the First-born Gen. 48. 18. Secondly Another way of obtaining a Title to a thing is by Purchase So Jeremiah bought a Field Jer. 32. 25 Thus men get a Title to Estates by Purchase when they part with a considerable value for them Thirdly Another way of Right to a thing is by Gift and Adoption So Jacob came to an Estate in the Land of Goshen and Joseph to the Government of Egypt and Moses the Son-in-Law to Pharaoh by gift and Adoption These are the three usual ways by which an interest is obtained By the first of these man can lay no claim to an interest in Christ By Birth we are Children of wrath Eph. 2. 3. By Purchase man can never get a claim to Christ There 's no buying this Pearl of price Therefore a Title to Christ must come the last way by Gift Faln man having lost his first Estate with all right to life and capacity to regain it by fulfilling the terms in order to it it must needs follow that now if ever he obtain life again it must be on a new account even of Grace The breach of the first Covenant forfeited all and bound over the Offender to death and damnation till which penalty be removed which lost man could never do there cannot possibly be any purchase made of new life and Salvation Rom. 5. 12. Sin hath passed over all men and Death by Sin for that all Men have sinned and by this fall all power of doing good is lost Rom 7. 18. So that now of necessity there must be a change of the first term on which life was to be had there being no possibility in lost man to fulfill them and if ever Salvation comes it must be by grace Eph. 2. 7. and gift The new Covenant gives out all his mercies freely Rev. 21. 7. There 's no place for creature worth and merit in order to Salvation under the Gospel he that will be saved must accept it as a gift That 's the first the way of obtaining Christ He is the Fathers gift and his own gift Gal. 2. 20. God gives Christ to whom he pleaseth not for any distinguishing worth in the Creature but from the good pleasure of his will Eph. 1. 11. 2. Who are they that obtain Christ and Salvation by him Answ It is they that come to and receive Christ by Faith Joh. 1. 12. To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God Christ is offerd in the Gospel by grace and is received by faith the acceptance as offer'd of God is that which interests the Soul in him This is called a comming to Christ Mat. 11. 28. A letting Christ into the heart Eph. 3. 17. A believing in him 1 Joh. 5. 10. He that believes in the Son of God hath the witness in himself That is the witness of right to Christ and life ver 11. And this is the record God hath given us Life Eternall and all this in his Son For where a gift is freely tendred to all that will receive it there needs nothing to make that Person fit for that gift but accepting the offer as tenderd to him Neither doth this acceptance make a Person worthy of the gift but fulfills the terms in order to an Interest in it If a sum of money be offered to a poor man and he is called to receive it this receiving doth not merit it but appropriate it So that the Persons to whom Christ is tenderd is to sinners to all sinners to the chiefest of Sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. And to every one of them Isa 55. 1. Ioh. 7. 37. And the terms on which he is held out is freelâ— without money and without price and nothing is required to entitle them to this glorious gift but their receiving it as tendred 3. What is necessary to the obtaining of Christ and and so of those glorious Treasures in him Without which Persons cannot will not come to him Answ There are prerequisites to the Souls obtaining of Christ Though they do not merit Christ yet are necessary to the receiving of him First That the Sinner be brought to see his absolute need of Christ and his everlasting undoneness without him This course the Spirit of God took
your Lives If your Relation be new then your Conversation should be new also Eph. 5. 8. 'T is an unsutable thing if God hath invested you with new Priviledges to retain your old Practices You were Slaves to Sin and Satan but the Son hath made you free how unbecoming a state of Liberty are Bonds and Fetters Grace hath given you Beauty and is it fit you should lye in Ashes and wear your Sack-cloth still Christians you are arrived to your adult state and to your manly years and will you be like Children and Heirs under age This is unsutable How unbecoming is a carnal Heart to a Spiritual State Works of Darkness to the Day-time Rom. 13. 12 13. You were poor worth nothing stript of all destitute afflicted and naked redemption-Redemption-Mercy hath inrich'd you and once more intrusted you with a glorious Treasure O how unmeet is a low Spirit and sordid Life now To live on beggatly Elements to wear filthy Garments to sit in the dust and wallow in the mire of your Corruptions this is most unworthy also of the Grace by which you are advanced Hath the Lord advanced you to Dignity and Honour and will you disgrace the Throne of his Glory and walk unbecoming his Highness and Majesty O Christians you bring Dishonour on that King of Glory you are related to to live like the Subjects of Satan and Inhabitants of the lower World you disgrace his Family into which you are adopted to be heterogeneous to it in your Spirit and carriages you disparage the Table you are admitted to and the Fare you live upon to look so ill-favoured and lean in your Souls as if the Lord Jesus kept a bad House and did not allow meat enough to his Children O Christians live as becomes your Riches and glorious state into which Free Grace hath put you Now 't is becoming such a change in your condition First Not to keep your old Company Persons advanced to high Honour usually cast off their former and obscure Companions and converse with Persons sutable to their Dignity When David was advanced from the Sheepfold to a Crown he leaves his fellow Shepherds and converses with Nobles so should you Christians have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of Darkness but rather reprove them Eph. 5. 11. Ye are now fellow Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God and your Lives should be like those and your intimate Converses with them Psal 119. 63. What a Christian and yet help on the ungodly in their way and love them that hate the Lord sit with vain Persons and maintain Confederacy with Rezin and Remalian's son Isa 8. 6. What a Christian and look strangely on thy Brethren and become an Alien to thy Father's House O how unbecoming is this Secondly Not to wear your old clothes when Elijah was mounting to a new condition of Honour he left his Mantle behind him 2 Kin. 2. 13. When Joshua was advanced to higher dignity his filthy Garments were taken off and he was clothed with change of Rayment Zach. 3. 4 5. O Christians cast off your filthy garments your old sins by Repentance put off Pride and be clothed with Humility put off Guilt by Repentance and put on Christ by Faith Thirdly Live not on your old fare When the three Children were brought to Nebuchadnezzar's Family they were called to leave their old Pulse and Water and live on the King's Table Dan. 1. 5. O Christians Are you taken from your Kindred and Father's House and brought into the Family of Christ leave then your old Garlick and Onions your stollen Waters and forbidden Fruit and feed on the King's Table eat and drink abundantly of his Provisions his finest Wheat and Honey out of the Rock of Ages feast on his Marrow and fat things the Bread of his Table his Word and Ordinances his hidden Manna let it be your meat and drink to do his Will Fourthly Do not your old work cast off the works of Darkness Rom. 13. 12. Leave off your old Trade of Sin and serving your former Lusts in your Ignorance 1 Pet. 1. 14. ch 4. 2. but carry on a new Trade of Godliness and Heavenly Conversation Phil. 1. 27. Fifthly Leave your old Language speak no more the Language of Ashdod Neh. 13. 24. Let no filthy Communication drop from your Lips nor vain Discourses be found among you but let your Communications be holy Eph. 4. 29. Col. 4. 6. Persons of Honour usually have their Discourses according to their Greatness not so light and familiar but more grave and stately O Christians labour you to live so that more gravity and seriousness appear in your Language and Carriage Lastly Drive on new Thoughts and Designs when Persons are exalted from Obscurity to Honour they will not take up such old Thoughts and Projects So Christians should now have new Imaginations 2 Cor. 10. 5. Grace should bring into captivity every Thought to the Obedience of Christ Vain thoughts must now lodge no more in you Jer. 4. 14. 10 Duty Tenthly If there be such vast Treasures in Christ then you that are the Friends of Christ commend him unto others so did the Spouse Cant. 5. 10 c. so will the Bridegroom's Friends speak for their Friend Joh. 3. 29. compar'd with Pro. 9. 3. Wisdom should be justified of her Children Matth. 11. 19. O Christians set forth the Praises of your Beloved that others may be taken with him Do all you can to further the Match between the Lord Jesus and Sinners Be advising your Neighbours to forsake their evil wayes and come to Christ that they may be saved Be calling upon and stirring up your Christless Friends Relations Children and Servants to be looking after Christ that they may be delivered from the wrath to come You should be publishing his Praises and commend him to all the World O be speaking of his Excellency and the Glory of his Kingdom Psal 145. 11. 11 Duty Eleventhly You that are interested in this Rich Christ be exhorted above all Portions to get Christ to be a Portion to your Children you know what a Treasure Christ is you have found him inriching your Souls when you were as a Syrian ready to perish he came in and took you up he comforted you with the Wine of his Consolation O that you would labour to provide this Treasure for your Children 'T is strange to see Christians heap up Dust for their Children and be so careless to get Christ for them What if you leave them Houses and Lands when you are gone and leave them not Christ what doleful Creatures will they be to all Eternity Time will consume your Earthly Treasures your Children may out-live their Money and Lands that you may leave them O let your chiefest Provisions be for their Souls do what you can to get Christ for them Some may be poor in the World and have no Portions to leave them O how careful should such be to leave them a Treasure in
the Promises a Portion that will not be spent If you can say as the Martyr Mr. Saunders told his Wife when he came to the Stake he had no Portion to leave her but a Portion in the Promises and surely if you can leave your Children an Interest in Christ you leave them the best Portion But you will say How might we do this First Labour to Interest them in the Everlasting Covenant Get sound and saving Faith your selves and that will appropriate new covenant-Covenant-Mercies to your Seed I will be a God to thee and to thy Seed Gen. 17. 7. This is God's usual way to the Heirs of Promise 'T is true Gracious Persons may have Carnal Children but this is God's way Labour to have sincere Faith your selves and then you will leave Covenant-Promises for your children Secondly Get a Treasure for your Children that will not waste by your strong Cries to God for them Improve the Spirit of Grace and Supplication for them Pour out strong cries and Tears Few are like Austin's Mother who did daily pour out Tears for the Conversion of her Son 'T is impossible said Ambrose to her that a Son of so many Prayers can be lost May be you pray too coldly for them O follow God Day and Night for your Children O skrew your Supplications higher It may be you do not pray so fervently so believingly as you should for your Children Thirdly Do all you can to convince them of their undone condition without Christ Don't daub and flatter them with false Promises they must be born again or else they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Joh. 3. 3. Fourthly Instruct them in the knowledge of Christ Be opening and commending Christ to them shew them the necessity of Faith and what the Grace of Faith is Watch over their Lives be strict and severe in reproving their Sins that they may be sound in the Faith Lastly Lead a holy Conversation before them that by your Lives you may win them to Jesus Christ O your Pride Passion Carnallity Vanity may stumble them Thus do all you can to get a Portion of upper Springs for your Children 12 Duty Lastly you that have an Interest in these rich and glorious Treasures of Christ long to be with Christ for then you shall partake of all his Riches Here you have but a little to carry you in the way you have but in part but when you come home to him then you shall have according to the measure he hath purchased for you you shall see and know as you are seen and known 1 Cor. 13. 9 10 12. In heaven there you will have a Treasure without Measure there you will see all his Riches and Glory and be glorified with his glory then you will live at the full you will live upon himself and God will be all in all to your Souls O Christians long then to be with Christ there 's your Treasure where your Lord is your Inheritance is above with the Saints in Light Christ is gone to Heaven and there are all his Riches O long then to be fit to go home to be with Christ that you may partake of all his glory And thus have I now come to the further side of this great deep I mean to the Conclusion of this Subject and O that what hath been opened of this glorious Christ may not be in vain you have heard much of this Tree of Life God knows what Fruit hath been gathered a glorious Treasure hath been presented to your View and offered to you O see what Advantage you have gained how dreadful will it be for any that have heard so much of this rich Christ to be found poor at last O it will be sad for any to dye poor in a Loadicean State Poor Blind and naked and to be cast away O Sinners consider this you that have been woo'd and invited to get this choice tryed Gold Christ hath pleaded with you to win your Hearts if possible O take heed you dye not without an Interest in Jesus Christ you will hear all those Truths brought over to you again at the Bar of Christ and all the Counsels and Helps you have had to draw your Hearts to Christ will be then as burning Fire in your Bones and as boyling Lead in your Bowels if you perish without Christ Therefore take heed take heed that this Christ become not a stumbling Stone and a Rock of offence to your Souls And such as are Believers mind your Duty which hath been opened to you and O that these Truths might be profitable to all And the Lord give a Blessing to it Amen FINIS THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. THE Occasion of this Discourse with an Introduction to the words and Explication of them and the main Truth contained in them Page 1. CHAP. II. The personal Riches of Christ opened in his divine Nature manifested in his Attributes with the wonderful advantages thereof to Believers p. 11. CHAP. III. The humane Nature of Christ distinctly considered it 's Reallity proved his Personallity or the divine and humane Nature in one person shewing what kind of Vnion it is and the glorious Consequents and Advantages thereof p. 43. CHAP. IV. Shewing what is the work of Jesus Christ as he is Mediator p. 65. Which lies 1 with respect to God the Father p. 66. 2 with respect to fallen man p. 75. CHAP. V. Wherein is opened the glorious Advocateship of Christ with the unspeakable Comforts and Advantages thereof p. 79. 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 p. 102. CHAP. VII Shewing what Consolation flows to Believers from the Intercession of Christ p. 113. 1 To weak Believers ibid. 2 To troubled Believers in the depth of Soul-misery p. 116. 3 To Believers dejected in the sense of strong Corruptions p. 120. 4 To tempted Believers p. 122. 5 To such as are under Afflictions and Suffering in or by the world ibid. 6. To such as are Mourners for Sion p. 123. CHAP. VIII Containing a use of Exhortation to Sinners and Saints p. 128. CHAP. IX Opening somewhat of the sweet Dispositions of Christ viz. His Goodness Love and the Riches thereof as to the Kinds Fruits and Effects of it p. 137. CHAP. X. Several deductions drawn from the love of Christ p. 147. CHAP. XI The glorious Excellency of Christ's tender Pity opened and displayed in the several acts of it both to Saints and Sinners p. 153. CHAP. XII The Improvement of the pity of Christ by way of Terror Encouragement and Advice p. 165. CHAP. XIII Wherein is opened the transcendent Humility of Christ p. 170. CHAP. XIV Wherein is shewn the transcendent Meekness and Gentleness of Christ to his Enemies and to his People p. 178. CHAP. XV. Wherein is demonstrated the infinite Bounty of Christ to all his Creatures with the manner of his giving p. 188. CHAP. XVI