us Aaron and his Successors in the Office of High Priest were appointed to offer the great Sacrifice of yearly Attonement at the Altar and with the Blood thereof to enter into the Holy of Holies and to sprinkle the Mercy-Seat their Throne of Grace with that Blood Lev. 16.14 Our Lord Jesus the Anti-type offered the Sacrifice of himself in his death and in and with the virtue of that Sacrifice he entred Heaven to sprinkle the highest Altar therewith It is but a fond Popish fancy to think that there do remain visible Marks and Signatures of his humbled State on the glorified body of our Lord Jesus that is indeed to know Christ after the Flesh in a bad sense 2 Cor. 5.16 But his entring with his own blood is spiritually to be understood that Christ's Appearance in Heaven is to bring up a Memorial continually before God of the virtue and savour of that Sacrifice he offered without the Gates of Jerusalem Eph. 5.2 Christ loved us and hath given himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour This savour never spends or wears out The Blood of Jesus in the Virtue of it in the Merit of it and in the Power of it is as fresh this day as in the day it was shed on the Cross He is still the â—ew-slain way to the holiest of all Heb. 10.20 â—s fresh and fragrant as ever If Men by their â—nbelief count it old or stale and to have lost â—ts savour and virtue to themselves and if they will seek for somewhat else to procure them â—cceptance in Heaven let them try and peâ—ish for none can help them that reject Christ â—ut our Lord presents nothing for the Salvation of his Body the Church but his own Blood and nothing else is accepted in Heaven for this End but that precious Blood And all they to whose Consciences this Blood is applyed and who come unto it and feel its virtue and power will abhor all vain and dangerous mixtures of any thing with this Sovereign Balsom It is always savoury in Heaven and it is always savoury to all them that are in the right way to Heaven Our Lord in his Intercession fills Heaven with the Almighty and Eternal savour of his Blood and Heaven is filled with the Praises of it and of the shedder of it Rev. 5.9,12 If its savour do not fill the parts of the Earth where it is preached it is because Men have lost or rather never had the spiritual sense that only can take in this savour and not because this Blood is impaired in its virtue But this is the sin and misery of this condemned World that what is most savoury in Heaven is least savoured on Earth and what is most sought after prized and doted on in Earth is vanity and abomination in Heaven Luke 16.15 3. In Christ's Intercession there is his knowledge of and sympathy with the Ails and Distresses of his people This the Apostle takes notice of in ver 15. His knowledge of their Distresses we can more easily account for than for his Sympathy His Omniscience as God we believe Peter sweetly owned it John 21.15,16,17 O that Christ would with power ask the same Question at all of you and that you could give the same Answer Christ's Question is lovest thou me more than these Not long since thou said'st so what saist thou now Peter's Answer is Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee And on the repeating of the Question Peter gives the same Answer ver 16. When Christ a third time ask'd the same Question Peter was grieved ver 17. and answers thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee As if he said I dare not compare my Love to thee with that of others to thee thou hast reason to question my love to thee because of my late woful denyal of thee but yet I dare call thee to Witness who knowest all things that I do love thee Though all my Brethren love thee better than I do or can though I be more unworthy than any to be loved by thee yet I am sure I love thee If the love of Christ were as a hot Fire within and its Coals were casting out a vehement Flame as Song 8.6 Believers would more often call Christ by that sweet Name sweet to us to speak and sweet to him to hear O thou whom my Soul loveth Song 1.7 Miserable Souls are they who love not Christ And dull unobservant people are they that know not what or whom their Souls love Is the love of Christ a meer Notion Is it not a most sensible holy and spiritual Passion or rather a heavenly Grace Can Men love Christ and not feel it Should they feel it and not avow it Is there any thing we should be ashamed of in the love of Christ but the shameful smalness of it That our highest and hottest love is so unsutable a Return to his incomparable Loveliness and his Wonderful Love to us and the dear Demonstrations of it All ye that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity look on him and love him more love him with all your Souls and blush with shame that you love him no better Blow the coals of Love by Faith and let the Flame mount up to Heaven and ascend ye in the Flame of the Altar as Manoah's Angel did Judg. 13.20 You that doubt of your Love to Christ go to him fall down before him answer Peter's Question according to the true sense of your Souls and it will be Lord thou knowest that I love thee Love Christ and ye will quickly feel ye love him A sight of Christ will beget Love and Love will quickly speak for it self 2 Cor. 5.14,15 But for Christ's Sympathy with his people this is harder to conceave than his knowledge of their Distresses It is a Sympathy different from what he had in the days of his own Infirmity it is as tender but not disturbing as real but not afflicting It is inconsistent with his glorifieâ— State to have any trouble His Sympathy it self is to be believed the manner how it acts is unsearchable Heb. 2.17 In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God Heb. 4.15 He is touched with the feeling of our Infirmities and was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin About this deep point of Christ's Sympathy we may soberly conceave 1. Our Lord's Remembrance of his own Infirmities Temptations and Afflictions in the days of his Flesh This is plain and certain 2. His sure and distinct particular Knowledge and Remembrance of his people and of all that concerns them within and without 3. His Interest in them and Care of them and Concern for them as his Members 4. His Power and Wisdom as their Head to send down vital Influences upon them as their Case requires Eph. 4.16 Col. 2.19 Lastly Christ's
Grace and Mercy 3. There is a Throne of Gods Justice spoken of This is that Throne David deprecates his being brought before Psal 143.2 Enter not into judegment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified If a man be wronged and oppressed by men stronger than he he may appeal to this Throne of Justice and expect redress But if a mans business be with God he should be afraid of this Throne of Justice Men are oft proud and vain in their thoughts and before others but if the Lord call them before this High Court of Justice they will surely be cast Job 9.2,3 How should a Man be just with God! If he will contend with him he cannot answer him one of a thousand When God sits on a Throne of Justice to judge men according to his Law and their Works nothing but Condemnation can justly be pronounced on sinners Whoever he be of sinful Adam's seed that expecteth saving favour from God's Throne of Justice will find himself wofully deceived 4. We find the Throne of the last judgment before this all must appear 2 Cor. 5.10 Rev. 20.12 This is not the Throne of Grace in the Text. No grace nor mercy is shown to any from this Throne but to them that have plyed and sped at the Throne of Grace before When our Lord comes and sits on the Throne of his Glory Mat. 25.31 no sinner that hath despised his Grace now will find any quarter then Luke 19.27 What then is this Throne of Grace It is God in Christ dealing with men according to the Grace of the Gospel It is God in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing to them their trespasses 2 Cor. 5.19 It is Christ set forth by God to be a propitiation Rom. 3.25 This is the true Mercy-seat or Throne of Grace or Propitiation 1 John 2.2 1 John 4.10 This is the New Court or Throne erected by God and declared in the Gospel to which sinful man is invited to come 2. Why is it called a Throne of Grace Passing what is said of the Apostles alluding to the Mercy-seat in the Tabernacle and Temple of Old 1. It is called a Throne because of the Glory and Majesty of God manifested here God's condescending to display and dispense his Grace and Mercy to sinners is no debasing of God but an advancing of his Glory When he gives Grace he acts Royally and as a King with Majesty Araunahs offering to David is said to be like a King 2 Sam. 24.23 he was no King but a Subject but he had a free noble Heart The Lord on this Throne of Grace dispenseth all acts of Grace with great Majesty and as a King But not as a King-Judge and Ruler but as a King-Benefactor and Giver This Royalty of Grace shines 1. In the greatness of the Gifts Grace and Mercy Vastly above all that the Creation can give 2. In the manner of giving Free Soveraignly free Grace and Mercy is his own and he doth with them as he will When Moses prays Exod. 33.18 I beseech thee shew me thy Glory We cannot conceive what was in his holy heavenly heart He was now just come down from the Mount the first time he is going up again to spend other 40 days there in such Communion with God as never meer man enjoyed before or since out of Heaven he had prevailed with God for Israel and hath a most gracious answer vers 17. And the Lord said unto Moses I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken for thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by name What means Moses then by this prayer Ver. 18. What ever he meant the Lords answer is much to be observed Vers 19. And he said I will make all my goodness or Beauty pass before thee and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee What is in this Name that hath so much of Glory and Goodness in it as should satisfie such a mighty hungerer for more of God as Moses was I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy God's Glory shines highly in his being the Soveraign disposer of his own Grace and Mercy and happy is the Believer that adores this glorious Soveraignty Paul in Rom. 9.15.25 makes a deep improvement of it Jer. 17.12 A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary See then that you in all your pleadings for Grace and Mercy remember that you are before a high stately Throne Approaches to God on the Throne of Grace should be managed with the deepest Reverence and Humility So did the Publican when he came to it Luke 18.13 God be merciful propitious to me a sinner or me the sinner the great singular sinner So the Greek runs as Luke 7.37,39 The deepest profoundest adoration of the Glorious Majesty of God is performed by a self-condemned sinner pleading at this Throne for the obtaining of the soveraign free grace of God Lastly it is called a Throne because Grace reigns and is enthroned here Rom. 5.21 Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Blessed Reign and blessed are all that are under the Reign and Dominion of the Grace of God Sin reigned through the unrighteousness of the first Adam unto eternal death if men be let alone and if Grace do not break this Reign of sin and Grace reigns through the righteousness of the Second Adam unto etrnal life and nothing can dethrone Grace it will prevail and reach its end eternal life in all it falls upon O that captives to Satan and slaves to Sin and the Law would long to be under the Reign of this stately power the Grace of God And that Believers themselves would give a more free and large subjection to it 2. It is called a Throne of Grace 1. Because Grace erected and reared it up Psal 89.2 Mercy shall be built up for ever Nothing but Grace and Mercy framed the Throne of Grace I may allude to the Lords stately words to Job 38.4,5,6 speaking of the first Creation but this Throne of Grace was fixed before as the King himself saith Prov. 8.23 I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the earth was Where wast thou when I laid the foundation and who laid the corner stone thereof No creature was on the Counsel It is a Divine Contrivance but now it is revealed our faith on the ground of this Revelation may and should go back and take a refreshing view of this eternal Contrivance The Lord builds a House of Mercy that a company of sinners may dwell in with him for ever What laid the foundation of this house but Grace What laid the Corner Stone of this Throne but Grace What brings in the Inhabitants preserves them and perfects them but Grace For whom is it prepared and by whom shall this House of Mercy be possessed and with
the power of the air working powerfully in them as children of disobedence they were fulfilling the desires and lusts of the flesh and of the mind they were by nature the children of wrath even as others Who can be lower vifer and baser except they that are in Hell it self Yet in this Case and Condition Grace made its first visit to them All that this saving Grace falls on are lost and undone sinners men at the very brink of Hell An Elect child of God is worst and most sinful the moment preceeding his Conversion Paul was at his worst Acts 9. when Grace fell up him If there be nothing but the power of Grace that can subdue the corruption of Nature if this corruption grow in its strength till that subduing power of Grace be applyed and if there be no middle State betwixt Death and Life and these have been reckoned Gosper Truths how plain is it that a sinner is at his worst when saving Grace first comes upon him 2. Whither did this Grace bring Paul and the Ephesians and so all Christians Out of the Grave of sin unto a new Life and up to heavenly places in Christ Jesus ver 4 5 6. O what a mighty Arm hath the Grace of God It s nothing for Grace to pull a man out of Hell and set him down in Heaven When shall this Arm of Jehovah be revealed When will perishing sinners long for a saving pull of the Grace of God 3. What is all this great Work of Grace for ver 7. That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his Grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus As if the Apostle had said You and I cannot sufficiently in our time and age admire this kindness Grace and Riches of Grace through Christ Jesus that we have receaved but as long as this world lasts and as long as there are receivers of this same Grace in future ages and that will be as long as the world lasts for the world lasts for the sake of the Throne of Grace and for what God hath to do on it and to give from it there will be praisers of this Grace for every Generation of Receivers of this Grace owe praises for all the Grace bestowed on all that have been before them And when this world is at an end there is a better world that shall succeed it wherein better and higher praises will be given forever there is no other musick but the praises of free Grace in Heaven and none shall sing its praises there but the happy Receavers of it here 2. Consider the Infinite Wisdom of this contrivance of a Throne of Grace for sinners The Lord wisely consulted poor mans case his Sinfulness his Misery and his Infirmity No where else can God and Sinners meet in Peace but at this Throne of Grace Here is the manifold wisdom of God Eph. 3.10 Grace abounds in all wisdom and prudence Eph. 1.8 Yet not according to the sorry Rules of the wisdom of this world nor of the Princes or great leading men of this world that come to nought But the wisdom of God in a mystery even the hidden wisdom hid to them that are lost 2 Cor. 4.3 which God ordained before the world unto our glory which none of the Princes of this world knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory God and Holy Angels may meet in peace whenever he is pleased to manifest his Glory to them though they be sensible of their meanness as Creatures and deeply humble before his Majesty But where God and Angels meet comfortably God and sinners cannot meet comfortably That Light and Manifestation of divine Glory that makes a holy Angel happy would confound and destroy a sinful man Isaiah 6.1,5 The Seraphims adore humbly and praise Isaiah a sinner sinks he is terrified with the Sight and with the Song And yet this was a sight of Christ John 12.41 but his divine Majesty and Holiness as God was then represented to him which terrified the Prophet But when sin is forgiven by an act of Grace ver 6 7. then upon the Lords saying whom shall I send and who will go for us Isaiah answered here am I send me Now I have tasted the Grace of my Lord I will run his errands let him send me where and on what he pleaseth 3. Consider how costly the erecting of this Throne of Grace was It was a dear Building The Throne of Gods essential glory is in his own super-excellent Being and falls under no acts of the divine Will When he had a mind to rear up a Throne of Glory to his name in creating a world there was no more needful but his word of Power his Almighty Fiat Let it be and all things sprung up out of nothing in marvelous order and Beauty and Goodness But when a Throne of Grace is to be erected for sinners there is more to be done here God's own Son must be made man in that nature must be charged with their sins and must discharge that debt by bearing the Wrath of God and curse of the Law even unto death Rom. 3.25 the Apostle gives us a description of the Throne of Grace God hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation a Mercy Seat a Throne of Grace But his Blood went for it Law and Justice exacted it and Christ paid it On this comes forth the blessed Proclamation of Grace whoever he be of lost mankind that will come to this Throne of Grace by Faith and will receive his Justification in and by this Blood and will trust to it only shall never come into condemnation This Paul preached Acts 13.38,39 What is this grace revealed for ver 26. To declare at this time Gods righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus We all know that God is just and the condemner of transgressors of his Holy Law But how the Gospel is framed so as that God's justice may appear in justifying of a believing sinner is far deeper and more hardly known and believed But take in but these three things and it will appear 1. God was just and the punisher of the sins of the Elect laid on Jesus Christ. God's sending of his Son and laying of the sins of his people on him was an act of amazing grace and mercy But the exacting the debt of sin of him when the Father laid it on and the Son took it on him was of Justice and strict glorious Justice Never did Justice shine so in its glory and purity as in bruising the Son of God for the sins that were laid on him The sending of millions to Hell for their own sins and all must go thither that have them to answer for and all such have them all to answer for who offer to pay their debt with their own coyn and have no interest in Christs undertaking is a display of Divine Justice that
of the Blessings that Christ came to purchase and hath to dispense and to prefer them above all present sensible things yet notwithstanding all the bright light of the Word darting daily in mens eyes the dross and dung of this World is more precious in the eyes and savory to the heart of every ungodly man than all the Grace given on Earth and all the Glory to be given in Heaven 2. This sin of not coming is committed by delaying to come The call of God is Let us come The answer of many hearts is Let us delay to come Whence think you that these delays come We have it daily to bewail before God and you that a multitude will come together to hear and do so day by day yet all that can be said to them from their childhood to their old Age never prevailed with many of them to spend one hour in serious treating at the Throne of Grace with God in Christ for the eternal Salvation of their Souls It is undeniable that ye are but a pack of gross Hypocrites if you attend on the means of grace in the Assemblies of Saints and yet have no particular personal errand to the Throne of Grace for your own Souls The Salvation of the Soul is not carried on in a crowd The Grace of God must be particularly applyed to you and you must particularly apply it to your selves and your selves to the Throne of Grace if ever you be saved The fellowship of Saints was never ordained for this end to render personal applications to God needless and it is grosly abused when it is so perverted It is impossible that a person can have any true fellowship with Saints in any ordinance of God unless he have particular business at the Throne of Grace for himself He hath indeed no true Religion whose all of Religion is in Company and in Publick Yet we see how backward many Professors are to this personal treating with God how many shifts and delays they make To such I say would it not be a terror to you if either God or Man or Angels or the Devil should tell you this day that from this time to your dying day you shall never have leasure nor heart nor time to spend one quarter of an hour in dealing with God for your eternal Salvation Would not this be terrible to you But the same dreadful thing is daily done by mens delays The call of God is to day you say to morrow when to morrow comes then you say next day when that comes you put it still farther off This you may be sure of that whatever is the true spring and cause of delays in this matter will still remain and gather strength unless the Grace of God come in Men deceive themselves with vain pretences but the true spring of all delays in treating in earnest with God at the Throne of Grace is Unbelief and Unwillingness and the more they are indulged by delaying the stronger they grow Therefore the Holy Ghost saith to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Heb. 3.7,8 See how the Spirit of God fixeth an opposition betwixt these two present hearing and present hardening and a conjunction betwixt these two present not hearing and hardening If there is present hearing there is no present hardening if not there is The refusal given to the to days call of God hardens the heart against to morrows call O that men dreaded delays as most perillous things and the cause of the everlasting ruine of multitudes under the Gospel 3. Another way wherein this sin of noâ— coming to the Throne of Gods Grace is acted is iâ— refusing to come All do not so grosly buâ— some do There are two sorts of refusers thâ— Secure and the Discouraged There is a wofâ—… plague of secure despair a strange plague but â— certain one Some people find things are baâ— with them as to their Souls sins many corruptions strong they have made some essay to get matters mended and all in vain whereon they conclude that it will never be better and they sit down in security and give themselves up to their pleasures Isa 22.13 Leâ— us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die A strange Argument approach of death usually marrs the taste of pleasure The hand writing on the Wall even when not known marr'd Belshazzars cheer Dan. 5. This is a very miserable and sinful case It springs from mens being ignorant of the true remedy when they were sick of sin and because all the Physick and Physicians they used and tried did them no good they conclude their sickness is unto death But let such know that there is Hope in Israel concerning this thing Only come and see and try what may be done Beware of despair it is the Devils sin but he hath reason for it for he is condemned and all doors of hope are eternally shut upon him or rather none was ever opened to him But for a man that hath the riches of Gods long-suffering forbearance and patience Rom. 2.4 daily laid out upon him that hath the door of grace set open to him and the Lord calling entreating promising acceptance on his coming for such a man to give over all hope is a sin some way worse than the Devils a frame pleasing only to the Devil most dishonourable to God and his Son Jesus Christ and to the Holy Ghost I do not call it the sin against the Holy Ghost A reflection on all the glorious appearances and manifestations of the Throne of Grace and most surely damning if continued in Away with it speedily conclude thy case is not desperate and if you cannot shake it off come to the Throne of Grace and complain of it If ye can but see the Throne and him that sits upon it despair will vanish as a Night-Owl on the bright shining of the Sun of Righteousness Despair cannot live in the presence of the glorious grace of Jesus Christ. Come then and see and lay hold on the hope set before you The other Refusers to come are the Discouraged they do not despair that their case cannot be mended but they see so much and so many things out of Order that their hearts fail them in applying to the only Remedy In the time of their Carnal Security and Ignorance of God and of themselves that bred and kept up that Security they could rush into Gods presence without fear and call and count all the blessings of the Covenant theirs without any doubt and yet without any ground But when God begun to deal with them and to come close to them and to send in light and life into their Consciences then they see their former mistakes they see their utter want and great need of those blessings they once dreamed they were rich in the possession of they see their utter unworthiness of them and therefore find it hard to believe that ever the Lord will welcome them to the Throne of his
to be pityed But if all be dark about and the darkest of all Clouds on the amiable Face of God this is the extremity our Lord was in Yet he prayed and in his Agony prayed yet more fervently Deserted Believers take comfort in a Deserted Saviour His Desertion was Penal yours but Medicinal though it be better Physick it is of the great Physician 's Prescription and he can and will bless it and make you bless him both for the Physick and the Cure 3. Christ had Temptation as an Errand to his Father In all points tempted like as we are yet without sin ver 15. O that Christians would learn to behave under Temptation in some measure aâ— Christ did Temptation to Christ was â— far other thing than it is to us Temptation is bad to us because of the danger of it therefore he bids us Watch and pray that we enter not into Temptation Matth. 26.42 when he was in the depth of his Agony But Temptation to Christ was a meer Affliction There were never but two sinless Men in the World the first and second Adam Satan came to both When he came to the first Adam he found nothing of his own in him but he quickly got somewhat put in him and left it with him and in him and all his Posterity When he came to the second Adam he found nothing in him and could put nothing in him by Temptation John 14.30 The holier a Saint be and the more gross the sin be he is tempted to and the more hatred he have of the Sin the greater is his trouble in and by the Temptation What Affliction then must it have been to Christ to be so tempted as he was Matth. 4. 4. Our Lord had the charge and burden of sin on his Soul not upon his Conscience The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all Isa 53.6 And was not that a mighty Load Sense of Sin is the greatest discouragement to Believers But never was there a Man out of Hell or in it that had such a load of sin on him as Christ had His own self bare our sins in his own body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 Law and Justice charged Christ severely and exacted more of him than ever they did of any other Person None but Christ was made sin 2 Cor. 5.21 Men are Sinners by nature and increase their sinfulness by their Life and an inexhaustible Fountain of sin is in their Heart Eccles 9.3 But none of them is or can be made Sin He only that knew no sin was made sin And because he was made sin for us he was also made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 The Law curseth the Sinner but cannot make a Sinner a Curse for others It can and doth make him accursed and a Curse for himself Here is Heaven's Art All the Righteousness we are made flows from Christ's being made sin for us All the Blessing we get springs out of Christ's being made a Curse for us Believers learn where to seek and find true Righteousness and the true Blessing In vain are they sought any where but in Christ and in his being thus made Sin and a Curse for us The Lord Jehovah charged Christ with the Debt of his People's Sins and he could not deny the Debt though he contracted none of it yet he undertook as Surety to answer for it and to discharge and pay it Therefore the Law and Justice exacted it of him abated him nothing Because the Law will have Blood and Life for Sin Christ offers and gives his Our Lord Jesus had no Challenges in nor Burden upon his Conscience yet he had a heavy Burden upon his Soul therefore he had a troubled Soul John 12.27 though a quiet Conscience For trouble of Conscience properly flows from the sight and Sense of committed Sin but Christ's trouble of Soul was from the Sense of Wrath for the charged and imputed Sins of others Object But may a poor Believer say Christ knew not what a Body of sin and death was he knew not what a bad Heart is and these I feel and am discouraged by Answ Christ did not know these things indeed by feeling and experience as you do but he knew them better than you do or can 1. Christ knew them by the Wrath due to them He that paid the Debt knew best the Debt that was contracted though he himself did not contract it He knew how dear the Expiation was for the Sin of your Heart and Nature 2. Christ knew it by Temptation Temptation brought Sin as near to Christ as it was possible it could be brought to a sinless Man Some Saints know some Sins only this way There are several Acts of Wickedness that the Lord restrains his People from before their Conversion sometimes and usually after it Those Sins they know not by the committing of them nor it may be by any special Inclination to them yet they may know them to be dreadful Evils by an external Temptation to them and by the sight of their Sin and Misery that wallow in them 2. As our Lord Jesus Christ had many Errands to the Throne of Grace so he did ply that Throne Our Saviour was a praying Saviour He spent whole Nights in Prayer to God his Father As he was so should we be in the World 1 John 4.17 Are we afflicted and should we pray So afflicted Jesus prays Is our Soul troubled and do we pray So Christ did John 12.27 Are we deserted and pray So did our Lord. But here is a depth too deep for us to wade in how our elder Brother how God's own Son in Man's Nature did plead at the Throne of Grace This Throne he ply'd was not the same we come to To us he sits on the Throne himself and therefore it is a Throne of Grace to us We approach to God in Christ and in Christ's Name Christ came in his own Name and needed no Mediator We find he came to his Father frequently earnestly and confidently The Church of Christ owe him eternal Praifes for that Prayer John 17. which is only properly Christ's Prayer That in Matth. 6.9 is a pattern of our Prayer taught us by Christ but this is the Prayer made by Christ and therefore truly the Lord's Prayer Of Christ's praying the Apostle speaks Heb. 5.7 Who in the days of his Flesh when he had offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared This is a great Word When a poor Believer is hanging over Hell and a Spirit of Prayer working in him how mightily doth he cry to be saved from that Death O let me not fall in if ever thou hadst Mercy on a sinking Soul save me But never did a distressed Believer cry so mightily to be saved from Hell as Christ did to be saved from death But that death Christ prayed against was another sort of death than we know or
a Divine eternal Person I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen They that saw him dead could hardly believe he should ever live again and they that saw him alive had need of Faith to believe he had ever been dead He asserts both and we should believe both Since death entered into the World by Sin never was there a Man more truly really and fully dead than the Man Christ was who died for our Sins And there is no Man on Earth more truly alive than the Man Christ is now a living Man in Heaven He in his rising gave proof of his Divine Power He was crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the power of God 2 Cor. 13.4 There was never such an appearance of Weakness in the Man Jesus as when he expired and lay cold dead in his Grave Never did sin reign so unto death nor the Law 's Power more appear than in slaying the second Adam As great and greater was the appearance of his Divine Power in his rising again John 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life that I may take it again Christ died that he might rise again He went amongst the dead that he might rise from the dead ver 18. No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again This commandment have I received of my Father Christ was bid both die and rise again Blessed be the Commander and blessed be the Obeyer for our everlasting life is in this Commandment John 12.50 Never any but Christ had this power of his own Life We must yield our Life when God calls for it and till then we must keep it and when that Call comes we must obey We die because we can live no longer and because our times are in God's hand And when it shall please the Lord to raise up our bodies at the Resurrection we receave our life again but have no power to take it up again till the powerful Word of Christ come Arise from your Graves And that Word gives us our life again None but Christ had power of his own life both to lay it down and to take it again We dare we can we should do neither but only obey and submit to the Sovereign Will of our High Landlord at whose Pleasure we are Tennants in these clay cottages 2. Christ's Resurrection was a Demonstration of the Acceptance of the Sacrifice of himself That the Blood he shed and Sacrifice he offered was savoury and acceptable with God that the Debt was fully paid and the Payment accepted when the Surety was discharged of his Prison Therefore we find it so often written that God raised him from the dead Acts 2.24 and 32. even when it 's said that it was not possible he should be holden of death Death and the Grave are strong and cruel Song 8.6 They have taken or will take all Mankind Prisoners and are able to keep them Only they took one Prisoner Jesus Christ who was too hard too strong for them Death had dominion over him but for a little while and by his own consent Rom. 6.9 but it hath no more dominion over him But he hath dominion over it I have the Keys of hell and of death Rev. 1.18 Courage Believers in and Heart-Lovers of Jesus Christ Death and Hell are indeed dreadful Jayls but as long as Christ keeps the Keys and that will be till he cast them both into the Lake of fire Rev. 20.14 no Believer shall ever be locked up in them If Hell were searched never so narrowly amongst all the condemned Prisoners there no Man or Woman could be found in it in whose Heart there was never one spark of true Faith in or Love to the Lord Jesus Heb. 13.20 God brought again from the dead the great Shepherd of the Sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant Christ also is often said to rise by his own power Christ put forth his Divine Power in his Resurrection the Father declared his full satisfaction with his Undertaking of the Work and Payment of the Price of Redemption by discharging of him in and by his Resurrection The Angels Work was only to roll away the Stone but by his own divine Power his blessed Soul did take possession of his dead Body and he did rise up immediately a truly living Man And this he did by his Father's Leave and Will and the Angels served only as Sergeants and Officers to unlock the Prison-doors of the Grave For Christ could easily have removed that Stone by his own power as he did greater things in his Resurrection No wonder the Apostle Paul made it one of his great aims in Christianity to know the power of Christ's Resurrection Phil. 3.10 It is not to know the History of his Resurrection nor is it to know the Mystery of his Resurrection but it is to know the Power of it the same Power that Christ raised himself from the dead by is put forth and no less is needful for the raising of a dead Sinner The same Power that raised the Saviour dead for Sin is needful for raising a Sinner dead in Sin Rom. 4.5 Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into Death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we should also walk in newness of life Eph. 1.19 There is an exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead c. How loath are Men to admit this that the saving quickening of a Sinner requires the same divine Power that quickened the dead Saviour All saving Conversions are the Fruits of Christ's Resurrection and of Almighty Power 3. Christ's Resurrection is the Pledge and Earnest of our Resurrection and of eternal Life How great things doth Paul build upon it 1 Cor. 15. He proves our Resurrection from Christ's Resurrection He argues for Christ's Resurrection by enumerating of Absurdities that must follow on the contrary As ver 14. If Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain and your faith is also vain ver 15. We the Apostles are found false Witnesses of God ver 17. Then you are yet in your sins ver 18. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished ver 19. Then we are of all men most miserable But now Christ is risen from the dead and become the first-fruits of them that slept ver 20. For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead The first Adam was made a living soul ver 45. but when he became a sinner he became a killing Head to all his Posterity Rom. 5.12 The second Adam is a quickening spirit and gives eternal Life to all his Seed And he took possession of this eternal Life in
Christ saith John 14.17 3. There is Communion and fellowship with God much spoke of in the Word well known by Believers 1 John 1.3 But I shall name no more of these Enjoyments 2. As all Christians know what these special Enjoyments are so all of them do greatly desire them This is so sure that many do over-desire them This desire ariseth 1. From the Genius and Instinct of the new Nature What is more natural to the new Creature than kindly breathing after Heaven When a poor Soul hath got of the Water of Life from Christ it becomes in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life John 4.14 Immediately the Soul saith What shall I do to be saved When shall I be saved Now if desires of Heaven be the native breathing of the new Creature surely breathing after much of Heaven upon Earth must be so too For the highest Enjoyments of God on Earth are far short of what is reserved for Heaven 2. Experience of first Love and of the first gracious Welcome he gave to the Believer when he first fled to the City of Refuge makes them desire more of those Enjoyments 3. These special Enjoyments are very profitable as well as pleasing They are given for profit and do usually profit 1. They are supporting under Tribulation In the multitude of my thoughts within me and doubless they were sad ones thy comforts delight my Soul Psal 94.19 Usually much Affliction and Joy of the Holy Ghost are together 1 Thes 1.6 The Promises are fitted for distress and the performance of them given to Christians under it Some distresses are so great that nothing can bear up under them but a special appearance of Divine Grace and in that case such Blessings may be more importunately begged 2. Special Enjoyments do fit and strengthen for Work and Service There is a joy of the Lord that is the Believers Strength Neh. 8.10 Flijah's double Meal was to strengthen him for a forty days Journey in the Wilderness and the extraordinary Manifestation he had of God was to fit him for his Translation 1 Kings 19. Many Saints have found this so often in their Experience that they do with fear receave singular Enjoyments of God because they have so oft found them followed with some special Tryal and Difficulty 4. Although most Christians have somewhat of these special Enjoyments and all desire them and they be profitable in themselves Yet special spiritual Enjoyments are dangerous and render a Man very needy of the helping Grace of God 1. Because they do usually expose to special Temptation Satan is a constant Enemy to all Christians but there are two times specially that he would fainest assault the Believer when he is at his worst and when he is at best Let Believers be never so low if Satan get his Will he would bring them lower No Man is as low as the Devil would have him but he that is in Hell but thither he cannot bring a Believer If a Christian be never so high if the Devil be let loose upon him he will quickly bring him down Do not think that the Devil will fear to engage a Believer even when in his best State He that had the boldness to fall on sinless Adam in Paradise will think it an easie matter to deal with any sinful Man in this Wilderness He that had the Impudence to tempt our Almighty sinless Saviour will he have either modesty or fear in tempting a feeble Believer You whom the Lord makes at any time to ride on your high Places bless him and yet fear your Adversary 2. There are some special Corruptions that are apt to grow under special Enjoyments as Weeds by warm Sun-shine If there were any such Enjoyment of God to be found in this Life as would remove Corruption altogether out of the Heart there would be no fear of abusing it But now when the greatest Enjoyments that can be had in this Life are given to them that have a body of death dwelling in them there are some workings of that remaining Corruption that are very ready to appear in this Case As 1. Pride of Heart spiritual Pride All Pride is a spiritual sin but Pride that riseth on spiritual Blessings receaved is specially spiritual Pride Pride on the account of Beauty of body or Strength or Riches is a carnal foolish Pride If it rise on the account of Gifts and Endowments of the Mind it grows yet a worse Pride But if the Gifts of God be yet of a more high and noble kind as his special Love and the precious fruits of that Love in begun Conformity to Christ and Communion with him if Pride rise on such grounds it is yet the worst of all sorts of Pride For the more precious the Gifts of God be and the more eminently they be of free distinguishing Grace and the more plainly the design of God in giving those Gifts be to glorifie the Grace of the Giver and to save the Receaver to the Praise of that Grace Pride of Heart on the account of such Gifts is yet the worst of all Pride Now that such a Corruption may grow under special Enjoyments of God is past all doubt 2 Cor 12. Paul speaks of his being lifted up unto Heaven like a Man that had not fully recovered himself I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago whether out of the body or in the body I know not God knoweth It was a long while since but in the time of the Enjoyment and fourteen Years after it he could not tell whether he was in or out of the body He never speaks plainly of it till he came to speak of his Infirmities ver 7. Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh a messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above measure Where we may perceave plainly that whatever was in that extraordinary Enjoyment Paul had in that Vision from Heaven or in that Visit to Heaven that was allowed him when he came back he found the same Heart he had formerly felt and the same body of Death he so often had groan'd under before Although we know not what Paul enjoyed in that time nor what the nature of that Exercise by Satan was that he was put to yet the Lord's design and Paul's danger is plain It is indeed a marvellous Passage Such an extraordinary Person as Paul was the chief of the Apostles and most eminent Saint in all the New Testament after such a great Revelation must be exercised with Hell to prevent harm by his being in Heaven before he was fully ready and fit for Heaven 2. Contentedness with a present good condition and dulness of desires after a better State is a common Corruption that is apt to rise up under special Enjoyments If the Disciples be on the Mount of Transfiguration and Christ be glorified in their sight and
know what is to be sick to be in great pain to faint and fall into a swoun which is a little Image of death as also the Heathen Poet called Sleep Death 's elder Brother But none knows what dying is It was a very sensible Word a dying Christian in this City spoke to my self when visiting him a few Hours before his Death No Man can tell another what dying is I feel I am dying but I cannot tell you what it is Death is a Path that you never trode before you never walked in it hitherto you may have thought your selves to have gone a good way in the Valley of the Shadow of Death but you never walked through it Paul died daily 1 Cor. 15.31 he was in deaths often 2 Cor. 11.23 Yet he was a living Man then when he said so and he dyed but once All new Tryals require new supplies of Grace And the Tryal of Death is quite new When we are tempted one day we may know what Temptation is thereby and be thereby fitted for the next but no past Experience can teach us fully what dying is 3. Dying is not only a necessary and new Tryal but it is such a Tryal in which a Man 's All is concerned for Eternity Immediately on Death follows Judgment Heb. 9.27 Death is the dark Trance betwixt Time and Eternity While we live we are in time when we are a dying we are leaving time and passing into eternity When we are dead we are quite and for ever out of time and are in eternity for ever If a Man miscarry in this Passage if a Man stumble in the dark Valley of death if he fall here he falls for ever I would not have people to imagine that the stress of their Salvation depends on their Frame when a dying For some Christians when near to death have neither the use and exercise of Sense or Reason much less of Grace But surely when the case of Mens Bodies permits Acts of a Man or of a Christian there is great need of grace to enable us to die well 4. Dying is a great Tryal of Faith Tho' we know not fully what dying is yet we may know so much of it as to be convinced that it is much harder to die in Faith than to live by Faith and yet living by Faith is the hardest thing we have to do in this World To trust in an unseen God to believe his unchangeable Love when we feel his Anger to trust his bare Word when we see no appearance of Performance but many to the contrary are no easie things to the hest Our frequent Experience of the difficulty and of our many failings in this daily Exercise of living by Faith may justly make us sensible of our need of great help of Grace when we shall be called to the new and more hard Work of dying by Faith To enforce this a little consider 1. Usually when death draws near to Men and they draw near to it the Eye of the Mind is clearer and the Conscience more tender and sharp-sighted in the review of their Life and Actions Many never saw their Lives well till they are just at the end of them And many Believers walk so as a spiritual review of their ways breeds no small Storm in their Consciences and Tryal and shaking to their Faith Though Death be a dark Valley yet great light of Convictions and Challenges springs up in it Wo to them that never knew till they are a dying what an awakened Conscience is Ways that are pleasing to Men when the evil day is put far away look frightfully on them when that day approacheth and is very nigh 2. A dying time is a time wherein the Devil is very busie He fetcheth then his last stroke on Saints and on Sinners He doth his utmost to secure the Damnation of Sinners that he may not lose them at last The Devil 's Deathhold of a dying Sinner is a strong one He also doth his utmost against Believers if not to marr their Salvation yet to hinder their Consolation The Devil 's parting Blow hath been dreadful to many a Saint It is a weighty Word Heb. 2.14 Where he is said to have the power of death It is true there it is said also that Christ overcame him and through death Death is properly and strictly in the Devil's Dominions Sin and Death are properly the Devil 's though the Lord hath the wise ordering of both he permits Sin and inflicts Death and Death lyes near the Devil 's great Prison Hell Through the Valley of death there are two Passages one leading to Hell and another to Heaven Most fall into the Pit others are brought through safe and sound by the Skill and Mercy of their blessed Guide Christ It fares here with Believers as with Israel and with Vnbelievers as with the Egyptians Heb. 11.29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry Land which the Egyptians essaying to do were drowned 3. Judgment and Eternity when near and seen at hand are awful things And a near view of them will try Faith greatly This view blows away the Presumption and Hope of the Hypocrite Job 27.8 What is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul Job 11.20 Their hope is as the giving up of the Ghost His Hope lived as long as he lived and when he dies it dies also Wo to them that have a dying hope a hope that cannot out live Death Christians are begotten to a living or lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 He hath hope in his death Prov. 14.32 The Man's body dies but the Christian's Hope and Faith lives He lyes down in the Grave in hope Psal 16.9 He dies in that Faith he lived by Heb. 11.13 2. What is the helpfulness of Grace in this time of great need a time of dying I am speaking to living Men but to such as must die and know not how soon I shall only insist on one thing at this time The Grace of God helps Believers by strengthening of their Faith That is the help they mainly need in that hour And this help stands in these 1. When a dying Believer is helped by Grace to see death in Christ's hand There is a vast difference betwixt Death in the Devil's hand who hath the power of it and Death in Christ's hand who is Master both of Death and the Devil Betwixt a Man's seeing Death approaching and the Devil behind it and with it and a Man's seeing Death coming on him and Christ with it Paul's Triumph rose on this ground 1 Cor. 15.55,56,57 O death where is thy sting O grave or Hell where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. That by which Death stings Men is Sin unpardoned and God's Holy Law binding Sin and Wrath on their Persons Victory over both Sin
dealings with his people in this matter are a great depth Some that have given most shining Evidences of the truth and strength of the Grace of God in them who have spent their days eminently to the Lords Praise and to the edifying of his Body the Church have gone to Heaven under a Cloud Others that were hardly known or regarded in Christ's Flock have gone off the Stage triumphantly No Observer can escape the notice of such instances Therefore we must not say that Consolation in dying is a certain sign of eminency in Grace or of tenderness in Walking It is not very unusual to see the greatest Storm overtake even a strong Believer just as he is putting into the Harbour However this Dispensation of the Lord's Grace in granting a comfortable Exit is what we should beg earnestly and pray for heartily I believe that there are few Christians so cast down with Fears and clouds and darkness but if they could be assured that all shall be dispell'd at death and it is sometimes so and that they should have a clear Evening and strong Consolation in their last hours they would bear their present Sorrows better Tho' comfortable dying be not simply necessary to the Salvation of a Believer yet it is a Blessing more valuable than many others that are more in our Prayers Grace can help to it and a precious help it is and we should mind it much in our Addresses to the Throne of Grace So much of these times of need and of the help of Grace in them There are a few Exhortations from this whole Doctrine of the helpfulness of Grace in a time of need that I would conclude this Text with The general Exhortation is this Learn not only to submit as to what is determined and that you cannot alter but to be heartily content with this wise dispensation of God about your Need and his Grace as a Contrivance becoming his Wisdom and levelled at your Good As 1. That our Necessities are so many so great and so unavoidable and yet there is a sufficient supply provided for them The new Creature is the most needy Creature of all God's Creation The Lord hath framed the new Creature in a singular way and for a singular use and end All other Creatures have their Being from God and have that Being continued by God in the common Course of his wise and powerful Providence But the new Creature is not only of and from God but it is wrought and hath its being in Christ Jesus and its Life is continued by a continual gracious Efflux from him for without him the new Creature can do nothing John 15.5 Let not such a Thought arise in your Heart or if it arise give it no entertainment why hath God made this new Creature so needy a Creature as it is Surely he might have done otherwise He made the first Adam in another State He was made perfect in Soul and Body immediately His State was perfect he needed little and all at hand But the new Creature is framed weak and necessitous the difference is as great betwixt the first Adam and a Christian at his Regeneration as betwixt perfect Adam and a young Babe newly born or a Child conceaved in the Womb. Yet the Lord hath made provision of Grace sufficient for all these Necessities And he loves the glory of his Grace so and takes so great delight in giving of his Grace that he not only lets the Heirs of this Grace fall into the common Pit of Sin and Misery with others and sometimes deeper than many of them that are left that his Grace may be glorified in loving them out of the pit of Corraption as Hezekiah's Word is Isa 38.17 for all that are converted are plucked out of their natural damnable State by a mighty Act of the Love of God Eph. 2.4 But when he hath pulled them out he sets them down in his Kingdom of Grace in so indigent and weak a condition that they may glorifie him by begging and believing and he may glorifie himself in giving of his Grace to them Who should find fault with this wise way 2. Be satisfied that this Grace which is your Supply is all in Christ Jesus and not in your own hand Since Adam fell and ruined himself and all his Posterity by having his and their Stock in his own hand and sinning it away the Lord in Mercy hath resolved never to intrust a meer Man again with his own Stock but hath lodged all the Grace his people are saved and supplyed by in Christ's hand and there it is safe Adam was created perfect and had a sufficient Stock to have enriched himself and all his Off-spring but he was left to his Free will and so came on it This is an eternal disgrace to Man's Free will What must the Free will of a Sinner be able to do when the Free will of perfect sinless Man opened the Door to Sin and Death and Ruin upon the whole World of Mankind It is therefore graciously and wisely provided that Free will shall have no hand in the Salvation of Sinners and indeed Free will to good is but a vain Name usurped by willing and wilful Slaves of Sin and that in its stead the Free Grace of God in Jesus Christ shall be and do all in all But we are so proud that we would fain have somewhat in our own hand and are so used to sense and unskilful in Believing that we can hardly reckon that our own that is not in our Possession and at our disposing But in this Order the Lord consults the Interest of his Glory and the Security of our Salvation and daily Supplies by lodging our All in Christ's hand who is able to keep it safely for us and ready and willing to give forth of it to us according to our real necessity 3. Be satisfied with this That the special times of our need are not usually known to us before they come There is none of the people of God nor of the Children of Men that usually know twenty four hours before what Temptations and Tryals they may meet with We know we may be tempted but we know not when nor how and in what part the Adversary may assault us or with what Weapons We know we may be afflicted but we know not with what Rod nor when We know we must die but we know not how nor when There is a foolish and sinful Curiosity in our Nature that raiseth desires to know future things concerning our selves It were well if Men were duly desirous to know from the Word what their eternal State shall be But in other things that may befal us in time it is dangerous Curiosity to be inquisitive People imagine that it would be of great advantage to them to fore-know future Evants as to themselves But I am sure it would be a great disadvantage and what you would quickly repent of If the Lord should reveal to any of you