Importunity in asking as if he were unwilling to give when indeed it is that they may be more fit to receave and that he may give the more Thus Christ tryed the Woman of Canaan Matth. 15.22,28 So much for the first thing What is the boldness of Faith allowed and commanded in Approaches to the Throne of Grace 2 What Grounds are there for this Boldness There is need of great and solid ones to bear up this Frame And blessed be God we have such 1. The Gracious Discovery made to us of God in Christ This is as it were the Essence of the Throne of Grace The Fathers Name declared by the Son John 7.25,26 It is utterly impossible that there can be any lawful Boldness in approaching unto God unless we know this Name and take up this Discovery of God Many Professors busie their Minds and Heads with general Notions and Names of God as that he is Gracious Merciful long-suffering abundant in Goodness and Truth forgiving Iniquity All good Names of God but is he not just and a hater of Iniquity holy and of purer Eyes than that he can behold it But the main Inquiry is little thought on Where shall we find the benefit of all the comfortable Names of God and escape the harm of his awful Names It is all in this blessed Name the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Eph. 3.14 If you approach to God out of Christ you run into a consuming Fire Here is the Ground of the Believer's Boldness The God he seeks and before whom he comes is revealed to us as Christ's Father and ours in him John 20.17 Go to my Brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God Blessed be the Words and the Speaker of them and happy is the Believer of them Faith cannot stand strong without the remembrance of them They are my Brethren for all their fainting and forsaking of me I count and call them such though I be entred in part into my Glory Tell them whither I am going and where they are henceforth to seek me and how to call on and Worship the Father as Mine and Theirs and Theirs because Mine 2. Another Ground of Boldness is the Mediation of Jesus Christ. But this being the third thing in the Text I leave it to its proper place 3. The Intercession of the Holy Ghost in his People is a great ground of Boldness They have not only Christ making Intercession for them at the Right Hand of God but they have the Spirit himself making Intercession in them and for them Rom. 8.26,27 A special Scripture that I would remark five things from relating to this purpose 1. Who is the Assister of Believers in Prayer The Spirit it self as also he is called as to his Witnessing ver 16. and the Word points at the immediateness of his Assistance 2. What this Assistance is applyed to our Infirmities Infirmities in our selves and in our Prayers as the Apostle declares We know not what we should pray for as we ought The Communion of the Holy Ghost is only with Believers for he dwells in them only and his Communion with them is only with his own new Creation in them and because this as in them labours with Infirmities his care is about them also 3. The way of his helping is in the Original hinted he helpeth with us or over-against us as a powerful Assistant to the Weak in bearing a heavy Burthen As Col. 1.29 Whereunto I labour striving according to his working which worketh in me mightily It is in vain to expect the Spirit 's Assistance in Work we neglect or against Infirmities we indulge and comply with 4. What this Assistance is making Intercession for us ver 26 27 and that according to the Will of God How can a Believer but prevail who hath the Blood of the High Priest speaking in Heaven Heb. 12.24 and the Spirit of Christ crying in his Heart on Earth Gal. 4.6 The voice of the Spirit is the best thing in our Prayer it is that God hears and regards 5. But lastly how doth this Assistance and Intercession work in us with Groanings which cannot be uttered What! only with Groanings We would think it should be that he assists with piercing cries that might reach Heaven with strong Arguments that cannot but prevail with mighty force and power that cannot be resisted Is all this great Preamble of the Spirit it self helping our Infirmitie's and making Intercession for us according to the Will of God Is all this come to a poor unutterable Groaning How strange seems this to be yet how sweet is it Some Groanings are so small that they cannot be uttered for the Believer hardly feels them Some Groans are so great that they cannot be expressed as Job 23.2 Even to day is my complaint bitter my stroke is heavier than my groaning Sometimes the Spirit of Grace and Supplications is a Spirit of Liberty and Enlargement unto Christians in Prayer so as they can by his Help pour out all their Hearts to God and plead strongly Sometimes he is a Spirit of Groaning working only sense of want and breathings after Supply There is more of the Spirit in a sensible Groan than in many formal Words of Prayer The Spirit is called the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 and the Spirit of Grace and Supplication Zech. 12.10 Joyn both those Names together He is the Spirit of Faith in Prayer or the Spirit of Prayer in Faith Rom. 8.15 The Spirit of Grace belongs to the Throne of Grace and his Assistance doth give Boldness to Believers The more you feel of his Help pray the more boldly 4. The covenant of Grace gives boldness to Believers in their coming to the Throne of Grace The Covenant of Grace as well as the Spirit of Grace belongs to the Throne of Grace Dying David had that sight of this Covenant that gave Consolation to him under sad Reflections 2 Sam. 23.5 Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my Salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow Let us consider some properties of the Promises of this Covenant for the Covenant of Grace is a Covenant of Promise Rom. 9.4 Eph. 2.12 that do give just ground for the boldness of Faith in coming to the Throne of Grace 1. The Exceeding greatness of the Promises They are exceeding great and precious Promises that are given to us 2 Pet. 1.4 When a Believer looks within he seeth great and manisold Wants and Necessities that he hath nothing and wants every thing Some have thought that they wanted more Grace than ever any Sinner did yet never any wanted more than is in the Promises There is surely more Grace in the Promises than there is want in the Creature Creatures Wants cannot exhaust Gods Fulness of Grace and all this fulness is
Intercession stands in presenting his People and their Desires and Wants to the Father for acceptance and answers of Peace Both our Persons and our Prayers must be presented by this great High-priest set over the House of God Heb. 10.21 or no Welcome no Acceptance An Israelite though he brought might not offer the Sacrifice on the Altar only the Priest and the High-priest only must offer the great Sacrifice for all Israel in the day of Attonement Christians must bring themselves Rom. 12.1 and all their spiritual Sacrifices but Christ must present them and we only by him Heb. 13.15 What a mighty encouragement is there in this for Faith Our High-priest makes another thing of our Sacrifices than we can Believers often know not rightly their own Case Christ knows it exactly Many of our Prayers are meer mistakes we complain when we should praise we ask what would do us hurt and are unwilling to receave what would do us much good Our Lord Jesus puts all to rights he can say over our Prayers rightly he can make good sense of them can purge them of their Faults can spy out any thing of his own Spirit in them and lastly add his own Incense to them Rev. 8.3 And thus are they accepted We may best understand Christ's Heart and Work in Intercession by John 17. Wherein we find three 1. Christ conceals all the Faults and Weakness of his people Not a Word of these in all that Prayer and they were guilty of a great many 2. He tells all their good and makes much of it ver 6 7 8. I have given to them the Words which thou gavest me and they have receaved them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me He knew and reproved them for the weakness and staggering of their Faith he foretold an approaching tryal and their fainting in it John â—6 31,32 Yet he knew they were true Believers and he makes much of it in his Prayer aâ— again ver 14,25 3. Chrise declares fully â—…ir necessity and begs supply for them No Christian needs any more than a full answer of this Prayer of Christ And it was put up for all his Body and will be answered as to every Member of it Whenever you are on your Knees at the Footstool remember who is at the Throne above and what his business is there Footstool-supplications of Believers would be all quite lost if it were not for the Saviour's Intercession at the Throne Heb. 8.1 Our High-Priest is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the Heavens And he ever liveth to make intercession for us Heb. 7.25 This is the end of his living in Heaven to make Intercession for us Take heed and mind Christ much in your Prayers and never fear his forgetting you Shall Christ live for ever to make Intercession for you And will you live all your days without making use of him as an Intercessor Alas that Christ in Heaven gets so little employment from Believers on Earth He seeks your employment he loves it and loves them best that give him most of it He undertakes for every thing put in his hand and in due time will give you a good account of all you entrust him with and make you say He hath done all things well Mark 7.37 Appl. Is all the ground of Confidence at the Throne of Grace laid in Jesus Christ our High-Priest Build then your Confidence on this safe and sure Ground Not only may you lawfully make use of Christ's Mediation but you must do it It is not only a Priviledge the Lord allows you to make use of but it is his Command and your Duty to use it You are commanded to come to the Throne of Grace and commanded also to come in Christ's Name and to come boldly in this Name The neglect of either of these is sin Not to come to the Throne of Grace when he calls is a great sin To come to it or rather to pretend to come in any other Name but Christ's is a great Sin too And to come in this Name diffidently is to reflect unworthily on Jesus Christ and the Power and Virtue of his mighty Name John 14.13,14 Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son If ye shall ask any thing in my Name I will do it Can a Man desire a larger Promise than this Can one desire a stronger Plea than Christ's Name and a better Hand than his to have our Answers from Be ye Askers and Askers in my Name I will be the Doer The Father's Glory in the Son and the Sons Glory is concerned in giving good answers to all Prayers put up in Christ's Name You cannot Honour and please Christ more than in using his Name confidently All Bills with Christ's Name at them will be accepted at the Throne of Grace and will surely be answered But Coming to the Throne of Grace in Christ's Name is another thing than commonly people take it to be Some think it enough that they conclude their Prayers with the Words Christ taught Matth. 6.9 but never for that use it is oft formally and superstitiously put to Some think that it is only to say in their Prayers for Christ's sake To ask in his Name is a higher business than to be reached by Unbelievers and Men void of the Spirit of God If no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12.3 If Praying be required to be in the Holy Ghost Jude 20. If praying always with all Prayer and Supplication should be in the Spirit Eph. 6.18 How shall Men call on him in whom they have not believed Rom. 10.14 But can you take the searcher of Hearts to Witness that you build all your hopes of Acceptance at the Throne of Grace in this Name and Mediation of Jesus That you durst no more rush into God's awful Presence without the Protection of this great Name than you durst leap into a devouring Flame Can ye say I have no Name to come to God in but Christ's my own Name is abominable to my self and deservedly hateful in Heaven No other Name is given under Heaven but that of Jesus Christ in which a Sinner may safely approach to God Since the Father is well pleased in this Name and the Son commands me to use it and the Holy Ghost hath broke this Name to me and made it as an Ointment poured forth Song 1.3 And since its savour hath reached my Soul I will try to lift it up as Incense to perfume the Altar and Throne above Since all that ever came in this Name were made welcome I will come also Having no Plea but Christ's Name no covering but his-borrowed and gifted Robe of Righteousness I need nothing I will ask nothing but what his Blood hath bought and all that I will ask I will expect answers of
lifted up is not upright in him But the just shall live by Faith To bottom Expectations of grace from God on the account of any good real or apprehended in us or done by us is not only destructive of Humility but of Faith also A Boaster is an abominable Creature at the throne of grace but a Pleader for and Expectant of Grace for Grace's sake is an humble Believer and a right Courtier at this Throne Exhort 3. You must not only seek grace when you come to the throne of grace and expect it when you seek it but you must be careful to receave grace when it is given Make room for it What is said by the Lord in the Prophet Mal. 3.10 though spoke in another case is applicable to this I will open you the windows of Heaven and pour you out a Blessing that there shall not be room enough to receave it Felt Want and strong Faith make much room for the grace of God Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 81.10 It must be a wide-mouth'd Soul that takes in and a well-filled Soul that receaves a fill of God How mighty is that Prayer Eph. 3.17,18,19 We have all need not only to get it by heart but to get it into our Hearts and to send it up to Heaven daily from our Hearts Paul makes a special Preface to that Prayer ver 14 15. In it he prays for the strengthening of the inner man by the spirit ver 16. That Christ might dwell in their Hearts by Faith ver 17. That being rooted in love they might measure the dimensions of Christ's love and know it that passeth knowledge ver 18 19. Can any Man go higher in Prayer Yes one step higher That ye might he filled with all the fulness of God Now who hath room in his Soul for the answer of such a Prayer as this is If we had not these mighty Words in this way we should be tempted to think that it were rather a Prophecy of what is to be enjoyed within the Vail than a Prayer of Faith to be put up by Travellers in the way to Heaven and for Blessings to be enjoyed in the House of their Pilgrimage But a Prayer it is and some good performance is given within time though the main measure of the answer of this as of all the most spiritual Prayers of Saints in this lise is referved for the day of the Lord. It is a greater matter both of Duty and Dimculty than most Christians think to have the everlasting Doors of our Souls lifted up and cast open that the King of Glory may enter with his super-abounding grace Many Believers take much pains and make many Prayers for that grace of God which yet they teceave not when it comes and craves room and admittance Grace comes always in and with Jesus Christ Whatever therefore hinders his Welcome excludes his Grace from entering Grace comes in and by the Promise If the Promise be not receaved by Faith how can the Grace promised be receaved Grace comes always as Grace free and undeserved How can a proud Person receave it And there is Pride often working in the Discouragements of Christians They find they want much of the helping grace of God they ask it they see it in the Promises and in Christ's hand But they think should such as I lay hold on such a precious gift as his grace Why not It is grace grace offered of grace given of grace Do you need it Why do you not receave it and make room for it Some receave not that grace that is tendered to them because it is not the particular grace they sought and expected or because it comes not to them in that way they looke for it in Others receave not nor welcome the grace they beg because they think they cannot receave it They look on Receaving as a great and difficult business far above their ability But is refusing of it hard also Alas that is easie because natural to our Hearts Is not the seed of Receaving in all sincere asking and expecting of grace from God receaving of his grace is no more but a Heart-willingness that his grace may enter in and act like it self upon us And this receaving act of Faith doth greatly glorifie God Some think it very strange and hardly credible that any Believer can ask earnestly that grace which when tendered he is not willing to receave See how it was with some eminent-Saints Job 9.16 If I had called and he had answered me yet would not I believe that he had hearkened unto my voice Why so for he breaketh me with a tempest ver 17. But may not fatherly Love and Correction be together on a Believer Rev. 3.10 Yet the sense of the smart of Correction is a strong Temptation to question the Love of the Correcter David or Asaph Psal 77.1,2 I cried unto God with my voice even unto God with my voice and he gave ear unto me Who would think that this Man refused to be comforted Did he not pray for Confolation Yet he saith My Soul refused to be comforted I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my Spirit was overwhelmed There is a peevishness of Unbelief that Christians should watch against Exhort 4. You must take care to guide this helping grace of God when you have receaved it Guiding of grace is an Art and Mystery that Christians should study diligently The rule of this Art is this Guide the grace of God receaved by you for those ends for which it is given by him Now what ends hath the Lord in giving of his grace They are only two 1. For the Praise and Glory of the Giver 2. For the Benefit of the Receavers Guide his Grace for those ends and you guide and use it well Christians have little of his Grace and complain sorrowfully not because he gives and they receave little but because they guide and manage this richest Talent poorly Dare any Believer forbear to say if I had kept all I had got and guided well all he hath given I had been far richer in Grace than now I am Misguiding of Grace receaved is the greatest Sin because an abuse of the greatest Blessing Watch against it if you love his Glory and your own Weal I come now to the forth and last thing in the Verse about this Grace of God and that is the Seasonableness of its Help It helps always but especially in time of need On this I shall now only note some few things in general Obs 1. Whatever Believers present Case be a time of need may come And they should foresee it Though they know not particular Circumstances yet they should lay their account with it The Lord gives faithful Warnings in the Word Faith should take them We see the times of need that many others come in and we should take warning by their Experience Every Christian hath found times of special need formerly the like may
implyed in this Call to come That there is a gracious provision made and revealed by God for the removal and making up of this Distance and getting of a gracious nearness to God This is in the Constitution and Revelation of this Throne of Grace 3. That the improving of this Provision is Mens Duty and should be their exercise in order to possess and enjoy the Priviledge and Advantage of this Provision What then is this Coming to the Throne of Grace 1. It is in Believing on Jesus Christ This is the first approach to the Throne of Grace He is the propitiation and Mercy-Seat and Throne of Grace 1 John 4.10 Believing on him is coming to him John 6.35 It is coming to the Father by him John 14.6 It is believing on God by him 1 Pet. 1.21 It is believing on him and on him that sent him John 12.44 Believing on Jesus Christ is an imploying of Christ in way of Trust as to all his fulness of Grace and our utter indigence thereof Whatever a man do whatever Exercises of Religion he be taken up in he never comes to the Throne of Grace till his heart and Soul go forth towards Jesus Christ for Righteousness and Life The first right step heaven-ward is saving faith in Christ. Nothing savingly good can preceed it and all saving good follows it for faith unites the man to Christ and all the fruits of Holiness and Righteousness spring from the virtue of the Vine Christ with whom the Believer hath first union by Grace and then communion of Christs grace by which he lives and works and grows 2. Coming to this Throne is acted in all acts of Gospel-worship and in the use of all Gospel-ordinances They all belong to the Throne of Grace are the Institutions of this Throne and appointed as means wherein we should approach to it and which when blessed by the appointer of them do convey to us the Blessings of this Throne Of them there are several 1. Prayer This is coming to to the Throne of Grace if rightly managed Though asking is not expressed in this ver yet it is strongly implyed both in the commanded Coming and in the expressed obtaining of Mercy and finding of grace to help in time of need All that make a fashion of Prayer do not come to the Throne of Grace yet all that pray rightly do come to it And because this approaching to the Throne of Grace by and in Prayer is plainly hinted in the Text and is so commonly understood by Christians I would have my eye principally upon it in handling this Scripture 2. There is the word Read Preached and Meditated on that is another principal means in which men should approach to the Throne of Grace In Prayer we pour out our heart before this Throne and express our Desires to him that siteth on it In the Word the King on this Throne delivers his Will and Mind to us And we should come to hear it and receive the Law from his Mouth Cornelius expressed an excellent frame for this Ordinance Acts 10.33 We are all here present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God This word is the word of his Grace Acts 20.32 It is the Proclamation of his Grace to Men. 3. Praising of God is a coming to the Throne of Grace This is the Sacrifice we should offer by our high Priest Heb. 13.15 Who minds this as they ought If we want we ask and so we should But where is the Christian that can say though I had nothing to ask I would yet go to the Throne of Grace that I might praise him that sits on it 4. Receabing of the Lord's Supper is a coming to the Throne of of Grace to feast on the King of Grace to feed on that Body broken for us and that Blood shed for us that is given to us in the Word for food to our Souls and is given to us by his Command in Bread and Wine at his Table that in eating and drinking of them we may remember him and show forth his Death till he come glorying and avowing and boasting that we have our salvation and all our hopes of it built and fixed on that man Jesus Christ that was rejected by the Builders in his Time and hath had little better entertaiment since because they knew him not Application Is there a Throne of Grace and doth God sitting on it invite and call men to come to it or to him on it We are called to admire adore and praise the Grace that shines in this Constitution of God and call to men That person is sadly out in his praises and such are never right in their Prayers that doth not deeply admire and heartily praise for this Mercy of a Throne of Grace We count a man ill imployed in prayer that asks many things of God but forgets to ask the One thing needful Is he any better imployed in praise who gives thanks for many Mercies but neglects or forgets to praise for the Greatest of all Mercies the Throne of Grace Before which all Prayer and Praise must come if accepted and for which highest praises should be given In order to the raising of more Sense of this Highest Favour that God now deals with us on a Throne of Grace Consider 1. The Deep condescendence of Grace that appears in this Dispensation There is a Glorious and Stately stooping in it The Lord had resolved in his own Heart from Eternity to have the company of many of Adam's Off-spring for ever with him in Heaven He seeth them fallen into a deep Pit out of which they can never get out by themselves God and Man by sin are at a vast distance Sinners cannot remove it nor make so much as one step towards God Saved they cannot be unless the Distance be removed Saved they must be because of his unalterable purpose In this case saith the Lord of Meer Grace if men cannot ascend up to me I will descend down to them and draw them up again to me This condescendence of Grace we should admire and praise When David had got a gracious Message and promise from God and Christ and the Throne of Grace was in it 2 Sam. 7. he sits down as a man amazed before the Lord and most significantly expresseth his Admiration and Praise Who am I O Lord God and what is my house and is this the manner of men and what can David say more and what can David say better to be swallowed up of Wonder is the best and highest praising who can forbear wondering at Grace that considers duly whose Grace it is where it finds us and whither it brings us When Paul speaks of it and it was his usual Theme how sweetly doth he discourse of it Eph. 2. Where did this Grace find him and the Ephesians what was their case and qualification for Grace They were dead in sin walking after the course of this world according to the prince of
therefore betakes himself to his heels It is mens great sin to endeavour to seek that elsewhere that only is to be found here Mercy and Grace But it 's the greatest Sin of all to count all lost as long as this Throne stands and the Lord calls men to come to it Be deeply humbled and covered with shame yet come noâ—withstanding Such is the corruption of oâ—… hearts and the Lord seeth it well that 〈◊〉 Sinners could find grace and mercy aâ—… where else they would never come to thâ—… throne of grace for it Christ is the last shiâ—… of a distressed sinner yet blessed be his namâ—… he welcomes the comer The woman Marâ—… 5.25,35 tryes many means ere she comes tâ— Christ Yet sped well when she came aâ— last 2. They are welcome to the throne of gracâ—… that come oâ—test and ask the greatest thingâ—… It s otherwise in addresses to friends or greaâ— men on earth You may be welcome tâ— them if you come now and then and iâ— you ask little things but if you come daily and ask great things and grow in your suit they will quickly be weary of you But whaâ— saith the King on this Throne of Grace Johâ— 16.24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in mâ— Name ask and ye shall recieve that your jâ—… may be full Had not they asked formerly great things that he would expound his worâ— to them Matth. 13.36 that he would teaâ—… them to pray Luke 11.1 That he would increase their faith Luke 17.5 But all thiâ— was as nothing to Christ nothing in regarâ— of the great things he had to give and theâ— stood in need of This is a great word oâ— Christ's Ask and I will give and ye shall recieve ask still more and ye shall recieve morâ—… even till your joy be full The reason whâ— our souls are so empty of joy is because oâ—… mouths are empty of prayer Christ's love quarrels with his people are 3.1 That they do not ask great things and often 2. That they do not receive what he is so ready to give Our narrow Vessels cannot take in large â—…oods from the fountain of living water 4. They thâ—… do not praise for what they recieve It is his due our duty and our great mercy Both prayer and praise widens the heart for recieving more of Christs fulness 3. They are specially welcome to the throne of grace that come to stay resolving never to leave it That not only come to it at a pinch and strait but come to abide there Our Lord teacheth several Parables to encourage and direct us in plying the throne of grace Luke 11.5,13 and Luke 18.1,8 Jacob was a blessed man and knew well the manner of this Court When he wrestled with the Angel Gen. 32.24.30 And that Angel was the King of the Throne of Grace Hos 12.3,4,5 After a long nights wrestling with weeping and supplications saith the Lord Gen. 32.26 Let me go for the day breaketh Jacob answers I will not let thee go except thou bless me I will or I will not looks like ill manners in speaking to God he saith not How can I hold thee if thou hast a mind to go is it possible that I can detain thee Can a man hold God when he hath a mind to be gone But Jacob knew his party and percieved that he tryed him if he would part without a blessing Nay saith Jacob if thou ask my leave and consent to part so I will never give it let the day break and the next night come the great Blesser and lame halting Jacob shall never part with Jacobs consent without a blessing And he prevailed He had got his Fathers blessing by the cunning of his Mother Gen. 27. had it again ratified by his Father Gen. 28.3,4 He had the Lords Blessing Gen. 28.12,16 He got it renewed again on the Lords calling him to return to Canaan Gen. 31.3 Yet he was in a new strait and wanted a new blessing and wrestled for it and obtained it Let all the Seed of Jacob imitate his practice and they shall share in his Blessing and be fed with the heritage of Jacob their Father as the word is Isa 58.14 In pressing the Exhortation in the Text I shall lay before you a few considerations 1. Consider the Greatness of this priviledge That there is a throne of grace erected for sinners and revealed to them This throne is only erected for sinners it had never been but for sinners A throne of grace supposeth that there are guilty sinners to stand before it and to get good by it The greatness of this priviledge is apparent in comparing the State of fallen Man with that of fallen Angels And in comparing their State that have the Gospel with theirs that are without it 1. Compare the state of fallen Man with that of falten Angels Whatsoever the proper meaning of that word is Psal 8.5 Thou host made him a little lower than the Angels these two may be well concieved that Man in his original make was lower in dignity than the Angels and that Man was made a little after the Angels were made And long after it could not be for the whole Old Creation was compleatly finished in six days The Angels that fell are so sinful and miserable that we cannot speak any good of them Yet in their first make they were a very glorious part of the Creation Notwithstanding when they sinned there was no throne of grace provided for them God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell 2 Pet. 2.4 Yet for his Elect he spared not his own Son Rom. 8.32 The Devils for such sin made them immediatly upon their sinning were as much condemned as ever they shall be I say not as much executed for it seems that their full torment is reserved to the last day Jude 6. 2 Pet. 2.4 Art thou come to torment us before the time Matth. 8.29 say they to Christ No wonder the Devil be such an Enemy to the Gospel of Man's Salvation and a hater of the Throne of Grace The wonder is that men should be deceived by Satan to despise and slight this great priviledge Let Christians take a view of this astonishing appearance of Gods Grace that fallen Angels are all past by and fallen Men taken up not indeed all of them but a great many as one day will declare Heb. 2.16 For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the Seed of Abraham 2. Consider the greatness of this priviledge in the Revelation of it You have it but the greatest part of the World have it not They that cannot receive the Truth of God revealed in the word about the Soveraignty of Grace in Election and the Efficacy of distinguishing Grace in Calling must see the same Soveraignty acted in dispensing or witholding the means of Grace as pleaseth him And to be utterly ignorant that there is a Throne of Grace renders people as miserable
to manage it aright This verse gives us a great Directory how to perform in a right manner this great Duty 1. It tells us whether to come To a Throne of Grace 2. How we should come With boldness Addresses to God may many ways miscarry if not made to the true God God in Christ if not in the right manner We have here one thing about the right manner Coming with boldness On this I proposed two things to be handled 1. What is the Nature of this allowed Boldness 2. What Grounds are for it 1. On the Nature of this Boldness I began to speak last day and did mainly insist on the Negative Now it follows to speak of the Positive It is the boldness of Faith that is allowed and commanded here Eph. 3.12 Faith is a marvellous Grace both in its Original in its Foundation and in its Actings and Exercise It is the meanest and lowest of all Graces every Grace brings somewhat considerable Love brings a flaming Heart Repentance bring a bleeding Heart Obedience brings a working Hand Patience brings a broad Back for the Smiter but Faith brings only an empty Heart and Hand to be filled with borrowed and gifted Blessings And yet Faith is the highest and loftiest Grace it cannot rest till it be in at the Heart and Love of God in Christ Faith if I may so speak can both be in Heaven and Hell at the same time The Believer looking on himself as in himself the Apostle's distinction 2. Cor. 3.5 our selves as of our selves judgeth himself to the Pit of Hell as his deserved Lot but when he looks on himself as in Christ he sits high Eph. 2.5,6 and makes bold to enter into the Holiest of all Heb. 10.19 How many contrary Sentiments of himself doth a Believer express only salved from being Contradictions by this distinction that the Word reveals and Faith improves I know that in me dwells no good thing Rom. 7.18 How no good thing in a Man full of the Holy Ghost a Man rich in the Grace of Christ A Man that had laboured more abundantly than all the twelve Apostles 1 Cor. 15.10 Yea saith he in me that is in my Flesh dwells no good thing A Believer as in himself and a Believer as in Christ are in a manner two different distinct contrary persons A Believer as in Christ is a new Creature as in himself and the remainders of Corruption in him is an old Man still or rather hath much of the old Man in him A Christian hath two different opposite◠〈◊〉 in him as the Apostle elegantly and deeply discourseth Rom. 7.19 end This Genius of Faith is much to be heeded in its bold Addresses to the throne of grace This boldness of Faith in this Court of Grace acts in four 1. In a free access at all times and in all Cases It is a Priviledge allowed by the Lord to his People and embraced and improved by their Faith There is no forbidden time in which we may not come No such command as in that King's Court Esther 3.11 Here it is proclaimed Psal 62.8 Trust in him at all times Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God There cannot be a more large and comprehensive account of the Matter of allowed Addresses to the throne of grace than this The Apostle prescribes Prayer as a cure of perplexing Care he hints that every thing that is or may be the matter of Care may lawfully be made the matter of Holy Prayer Turn your Care into Prayer and the Care will evaporate and vanish and your Cure will be felt Blessed be the Lord that hath made this good in the Experience of many who have gone before him with Hearts filled and oppressed with many Cares and have returned light and free and their countenance no more sad as Hannah 1 Sam. 1.18 2. The boldness of Faith acts in free speaking of all the mind to God This the Greek Word in the Text particularly points at Let us come with Boldness free speaking of all our mind pouring out the heart to him Psal 62.8 I poured out my complaint to him I shewed before him my trouble Psal 142.2 The Tongue is not to be tied at this Throne but all that is on the Heart is to be told to him He knows it before we tell it and better than we do but it is his Will that we should make all our Minds known to him A Believer the better Case his Faith is in he is the more open and free in dealing with God It is recorded of a Man that we should hardly have counted a Believer had not the Holy Ghost numbered him amongst them in Heb. 11.32 he utter'd all his words or matters before the Lord in Mizpah Judg. 11.11 So Samuel did 1 Sam. 8.21 And Samuel heard all the wordt of the people and he rehearsed them in the Ears of the Lord. It is a great favour that the Lord allows us so to do This is not after the manner of Men. It would be counted a troublesome Impertinence to vent all our Thoughts and Cases and Concerns to a Creature but we may do so to the Lord. When David refrained his speech and kept silence it went badly with him Psal 32.3 3. This boldness of Faith acts and should act in Familiarity with God Believers should come to the Throne of Grace not as Strangers and Foreigners but as fellow-citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God Eph. 2.19 Our Lord in his directing us to pray bids us begin with Our Father which art in Heaven The Spirit of Adoption helps to cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.6 When Faith speaks rightly this Word and fixeth on it all other desires will sweetly follow Abba and Amen uttered in Faith are the might of Prayer Strangers know not what Familiarity the Lord expresseth to his People nor how much Familiarity he allows them to use with him It was a great Word of a great Saint many Years ago in this Land when dying in a bright shining of the Sun of Righteousness on his Soul Tell it to the People preach it at my Funeral that God dealeth familiarly with Men. 4. This boldness of Faith acts in Importunity at the Throne of Grace This Importunity is nothing but the stiffness and tenaciousness of Faith Faith sometimes and then it is best will neither be beat back by delays from God nor by inward Challenges but when it hath got hold of God it will keep its hold Our Lord spoke several Parables to direct and encourage to this Importunity Luke 18.1 that of the unjust Judge and oppressed Widow And Luke 11.5,8 We must understand Parables warily No Importunity did ever or can ever prevail with God to do that for us or give that to us that he hath no mind to do or give All he doth and gives is in Love Yet he puts his people on
of grace nor of thy need and want of it but wast well content with thy lost State and that in this State grace came from this throne and did beset thy Heart and overcome it May you not argue If the Lord sought me out and found me in my departing from him and stopp'd me and turned my Heart towards himself may not I come now confidently and ask mercy and grace It is a matter of great use to Believers to keep up a savoury remembrance of the gracious change that preventing grace wrought upon them Paul could never forget Christs first visit to him but speaks of it before Kings and Rulers and People Acts 22. and 26. He remembers time and place and every Circumstance I say not that Christs first visit is so sensible to all or it may be to any as it was to Paul But Christs work of grace may be known by it self even when some circumstances of time and place and outward means are not known 2. The Experience of the Spirit of Prayer and of Answers of Prayer is a great ground of boldness of Faith I joyn these two together for the Lord usually doth so Psal 116.1,2 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my Supplications Because he hath inclined his Ear unto me I will call upon him as long as long as I live Have ye not known that sometimes yon have been so troubled that you could not speak as Psal 77.4 that your Hearts have been so bound up and straitned that you could say nothing and do nothing before the Lord but fit as dumb and oppressed all dark above all dead within and all doors shut upon you you durst not neglect Prayer and you could not perform it And have you not quickly found the two-leaved Gates cast open to you your Hearts enlarged and your Mouth wide open in asking The remembrance of such Experiences should strengthen the confidence of your Faith Have you not known what the answer of Prayer is That he hath prepared your heart and hath caused his ear to hear as Psal 10.17 Come the more boldly at all other times They are Triflers in Prayer that know nothing of God by the Name of Hearer of Prayer Psal 65.2 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy Whoever hath gone forth weeping bearing and sowing his precious seed hath doubtless come again rejoycing bringing his sheaves with him Psal 126.5,6 and should therefore sow in hope 3. The Experience of Communion and Fellowship with God is a great ground of Boldness in coming to the throne of grace for more Such as have most of this Blessing desire most earnestly more of it and may desire it the more confidently 1 John 1.1,2,3,4 Surely we have this Fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ and we would fain have you share with us therein that your joy may be full This Communion with God is a Mystery undoubted to him that tasteth it and surpassing all the delights of Sense or Reason incredible and unintelligible to all that have it not A Stranger intermeddles not with this joy Prov. 14.10 It lies more deep than that any Eye of Flesh can see it It is of that nature that only tasting can declare its transcendent sweetness Psal 34.8 O taste and see that the Lord is good Saints feel much of it they talk much of it the Word is full of suitable and savoury Expressions of it Yet all are Riddles and dark Parables to them that experience it not You that know what it is though you cannot express it yet you can relish and understand some sound Words about it You know what it is to be brought near to him and to have the Clouds and Vails that are either on your Hearts or on his Face scattered and the light of his Countenance lifted up upon you Psal 4.6,7 You have been sometimes so in the Mount as to think O how good it is to be here You have known what the warm and healing Beams of the Sun of Righteousness upon you are Mal. 4.2 You have tasted that in his Company that hath made the puddle of the Worlds Wells of comfort loathsome and unsavoury yea as hath made you groan in this Tabernacle and long to be in at that compleat and uninterrupted Communion above whereof all you taste on earth is but a small earnest and first-fruits And may not should not such come boldly to the throne of grace Appl. Is there an allowed boldness in coming to the throne of grace Then let us use this boldness Alas many come doubtingly and discouragedly Their Unbelief is so strong and their Faith so weak that they not only come without this boldness but think that they ought not to come with it but with a frame contrary to it They think that it is true Humility to come with a Fear that is inconsistent with this boldness It is indeed required that Men should come before the Lord with awful Fear and Reverence and that they should judge themselves unworthy and undeserving both of the Priviledge of coming and of the least of the Blessings they come for Yet the boldness of Faith is not prejudiced thereby I shall therefore answer some of the common Pleas of Unbelief as to this Priviledge and its improvement Obj. 1. Is from conscience of Sin and Guilt grounded specially on these two Scriptures Psal 66.18 and 1 John 3.20 This Plea seems to be strong and to justifie or excuse doubtings in Christians and doth usually marr the due sense of this Duty of coming boldly to the Throne of Grace To remove it therefore consider that Sin affects the Heart and Conscience two ways 1. It defiles the Conscience 2. It disturbs it 1. Sin defiles the Conscience Tit. 1.15 Vnto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled But we must see when and how the Conscience is defiled by Sin Conscience is God's Tribunal in every Man It is an active and awful power in Men judging of themselves as to their State and Actions as they think God judgeth of them So that there are two main causes tried and to be decided at this Court of Conscience 1. Am I at peace with God and he with me And this is only truly resolved when Conscience pronounceth as God declares in his Word And that Declaration is that every Man by Nature and as in the first Adam is an Enemy to God and God to him and that every one that is in Jesus Christ by Faith is a Child and Friend of God and God is at Peace with him The answer then is different if according to Truth Some may but will not conclude their State of Enmity by their not believing on Jesus Christ Some may but dare not conclude that they are at Peace with God though they cannot deny their Faith in Jesus Christ A second Cause is about particular Actions
for mercy are great Provocations Some beg only outward mercies Such people would like this Text well if it had been Let us come that we may obtain Gold and Silver and Health and long Life If Prayer was ordained by God for such mercies the Throne of Grace would be crouded with Supplicants But you will never ply Prayer rightly till you understand that there is something to be got at the Throne of Grace that is better in it self more needful for you and that will do you more good than all that the World hath to give Some beg mercy only when they are under God's afflicting hand Psal 73.34 When he slew them then they sought him Some beg God's mercy limitedly they only beg one mercy and desire no more His mercy is of a large extent and we should beg it all We may beg a particular mercy according to our present felt necessities yet we must not make an exception against any act of mercy We must not beg the mercy of Pardon with a Heart-quarrel against the mercy of Sanctification The Lord be merciful to thy servant in this thing 2 Kings 5.18 was a faulty Prayer if there was any sincerity in Naaman Though we may ask any particular mercy yet we must lay open our Hearts to the whole flood of mercy Psal 119.132 Look thou upon me and be merciful to me as thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name So Psal 106.4,5 Lastly Some beg mercy for themselves and for their Idols in the same Address One part of their Prayer is for mercy to themselves and another part of it is for mercy to their Idols Is not that a woful ill-made Prayer and yet how frequently is it done Idols are such things as have a greater nearer room in the Heart than God hath Whatever is more loved feared trusted and delighted in more than God that is an Idol be it the best or basest thing we can name or think on These Idols are of two sorts Lawful and Vnlawful Not that it is lawful to have any Idol but many make Idols of lawful things Such things I mean that in their proper place may be sought and lawfully used but are wofully abused when put in God's room These are the most dangerous because least perceaved Idols Christian it is lawful to love thy Relations to pray for Wife and Children to beg God's Blessing on thy lawful diligence in thy Calling but watch well that none of these lawful things come in betwixt thy Heart and God if they do thou will fall into this Snare of begging God's mercy to thy self and Idols in the same Prayer Vnlawful Idols or Idols in unlawful things are Sins Lusts and Heart-plagues Wo to him that begs God's mercy to them We should daily beg God's mercy against them The more mercy that is forbearance God sheweth to such Idols the more Wrath and the less mercy he showeth to the man himself God's mercy cannot be shown both to a man and his Idols The purest mercy is then shewn â—o a Man when the Lord dealeth severely with his Idols Kill my sinful Idols and save me is a fit Prayer at the Throne of Grace and he is a happy man that gets it answered 5. Sinful Addresses for God's mercy are great Provocations of his Wrath. His mercy is so Sacred a Name of God that he will hold no man guiltless that taketh it in vain In this matter the best contract much Guilt All have many sins in their holy things and in their Approaches to the Holiest of all the Throne of Grace and do stand in need of Attonement And we should all come to the Throne of Grace for mercy to pardon the Sins that are in our seeking of mercy But where then shall the Ungodly and Sinner appear He perisheth for want of mercy he should come for it and he cannot come for mercy while he is what he is but he provokes the Lord to more Wrath against him This is one of the inextricable Straits that every Unbeliever is in that nothing but Sovereign Grace and mercy can bring one out of Look to him for this deliverance and he will shew you mercy SERMON VII HEB. IV. 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need THE last thing in this verse is What is to be had at the Throne of Grace and what we should come for And that is Mercy and Grace and we need no more and we should come that we may obtain and find them and we should in our coming design no less Of the first I began to speak last day and did open these three things 1. What is this mercy we should come for It 's God's saving mercy in Christ sutable unto and for relieving of that misery that every natural man is perishing under Mercy in God and misery in man are Relatives and happy is that person that hath them well married and matched together 2. What is in this Phrase Obtaining of mercy I told you that it implied three things 1. That mercy is God's free Gift We only come by it because he gives it 2. That there is a personal particular Application of this mercy to the Obtainer of it 3. That it is given as a Possession not as a Gift that may be recalled and retaken but is given for an everlasting Possession Whoever is made Partaker of God's special saving mercy it shall never be taken from him it shall never waste nor spend nor wear out but shall stay with him follow him and grow up with him to eternity The Burden of that heaven-like Song Psal 136. is 26 times repeated for his mercy endureth for ever How sweetly will it be sung from all the Mansions in Heaven and by all the blessed Dwellers in them O Give thanks to our God for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Can you learn this Song as the Word is Rev. 14.3 Only the Redeemed of the Lord can say so but all they should say so Psal 107.1,2 His mercy is most sweet a Crumb of it will save a starving Soul as Matth. 15.27 A large measure of it on Earth is a Heaven But the eternity of this mercy is the mercy of this mercy Time-mercies in regard of this are no mercies 3. I spoke of the Design and End we should have before us in coming to the Throne of Grace Come that we may obtain mercy That which I would do at this Exercise is to apply this Truth And the Lord apply both Doctrine and Application And 1. I would put this Question to your Consciences and let them speak as in God's sight Whether have ye obtained mercy or not Can you say with Paul but I obtained mercy You must have it as well as he and may know it as really as he did though ye receave not so much nor know it so clearly as so great a Believer as Paul did See to get
9.1.5 What prays he for them Roin 10.1 My hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved All right Prayer should be the Hearts desire Salvation is the best thing we can pray for to our selves or to them we love And no Man can heartily pray for Salvation to others who hath not got it himself 2. I would now direct some Words to them that have obtained mercy and know it Blessed be the Lord that there are not a few in the World not a few in this City and I hope not a few in this Meeting that have obtained mercy of the Lord and know it also Who can remember when their misery was great and when the mercy of the Lord made a visit to them and what great things it brought to them and wrought in them 1. Let such be very thankful for special saving mercy Praise is a great Debt as well as a great Blessing Let none take this as an ordinary Duty but let all Christians know that the main point of the Life and Practice of Christianity lies in the performance of it 1 Pet. 2.9 Praise should rise according to the worth of what we praise for Greatest Favours call for highest Praises and special mercy from the Lord is the highest favour It is a good Custom and a Duty also that people when they receave their daily bread from God do give him thanks for it as well as beg his Blessing on it Pray then how do you think the Lord will take unthankfulness for his special mercy How many hath the Lord to give in this Charge against I never gave thee a nights rest but thou gave me thanks for it in the morning but I have by my mercy raised thee up to newness of Life and I was never thanked for it I never fed thy Body but thou blessed me for my Bounty but I have given thee my Son for the bread of thy Soul but no praise for this Gift When thou wast near death I did in mercy restore thee and was praised for it but special mercy hath delivered thy Soul from eternal destruction but when didst thou praise for that Have a care this Charge be not given against you Live to his Praise and let Praise be the main Work of your Life 2. Walk tenderly under God's special mercy The more special the mercy be the more carefully it should be improved God's saving mercy is a Load a Burthen not indeed hard to be born but it is hard to bear it aright A Burden that will not break the Back but will weigh heavy on the Shoulders of the Bearers and such as are under it are in no small danger of stumbling Isa 38.15 What shall I say he hath both spoken unto me and himself hath done it I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my Soul And that there was special mercy in his Eye see ver 17. Thou hast in love to my Soul delivered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back Here is a right sense of mercy and a good Resolution about the guiding of it I will walk softly all the Years fifteen of them that God hath added to my Life But what performance was there 2 Chron. 32.25 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done to him for his heart was lifted up 3. Obtainers of mercy should ask grace to guide mercy and ask it the more earnestly and confidently because they have obtained mercy Be not discouraged in asking more mercy because you have made so poor improvements of what you have received Every mercy lays us under an Obligation for more service and Grace to enable for that Service must be given and therefore should be asked We need mercy God gives it when we get it we should guide it well and in order to that we must beg more New mercy to enable us to guide the old No mercy from the Lord but it may be ill guided but the last eternal Life Jude 21. A Christian is not out of all danger of abusing any mercy of the Lord till he receave perfecting mercy in Heaven To them that have not obtained mercy or at least do not know that they have only four things I would say to such Ask mercy Receave mercy Plead mercy Hope in his mercy 1. Ask mercy The Lord hath two designs in offering and dispensing his mercy to Men To be honoured by the Prayers of them that want it and to be glorified by the Praises of them that get it This Duty of asking mercy is frequently commanded by the Lord commonly practis'd by his people and never in vain 1. Ask mercy like it self Ask some way according to your Need and its Worth If our begging bore any tolerable proportion to the great Blessing of God's saving mercy what mighty praying would there be Let not mercy be sought as a small thing it 's the one thing needful and it 's the one thing we should seek of the Lord. God's mercy Saving mercy Free mercy Mercy great vastly above all our misery O how would it be asked if asked like it self 2. Ask mercy at the right Door There is not a Crumb of saving mercy that comes to any perishing Sinner but by Jesus Christ. There is no Corn in Egypt but what comes through this Joseph's Hand He is a mad Beggar of mercy that forgets Christ 3. Ask mercy in God's time He that commands us to ask and tells us at what Door to beg and promiseth to give tells us also when we should ask Men have their times as in great distress when dying and at Judgment Beware of putting off asking till God's time of giving be past It is an awful Word of Christ Luke 13.25 When once the master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the door and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door saying c. There are two sad beginnings here Beginning to stand without when the door is shut such will eternally stand without Beginning to knock at the door Such as begin to knock at God's shut Door will never get in There is no good answer to be given by God to such for eternity Is not that a very unhappy beginning So our Lord tells us in the Parable of the Ten Virgins Matth. 25.10 The foolish came when the Door was shut They were foolish that they came no sooner and miserable that they came too late I believe the Damned will see more of the Blessedness of the Saved than the Saved will see of the Misery of the Damned Christ expresly aggravates the misery of the Damned by what they shall see of the Bliss of the Saved Luke 13.28 But all we see in the Word that the Saved shall see or hear of the misery of the Damned is their Resurrection to Damnation John 5.29 which is a most miserable one better were it for them to have their Bodies lye eternally in
saved by grace Eph. 2.5 Nothing but grace can save a sinner and if it were not the grace of God and therefore Omnipotent it could not save Is not it a great help to be helped to Salvation Is not that a great lift to be delivered from the power of darkness and to be translated into the Kingdom of God's dear Son Col. 1.13 Who would not prize and desire a saving lift of God's grace All that have found it value it and they that never found it should but will not beg it earnestly The grace of God brings Salvation Tit. 2.11 It brings it near to Men in the Gospel This is all that it doth to many But to some this grace brings Salvation and gives it plants it in their Hearts and waters it and makes it grow with the increases of God till it be ripe full-grown Salvation Would you be helped to Heaven Imploy amd implore the grace of God it only can do it And must not they perish and do they not perish justly that will not accept of saving grace nor beg it when they must perish without it 2. Grace helps to grace All the grace that is given to us is but a drop from the great Fountain of grace that we make our Application to The first grace that is in us is a Gift and Stream of that grace that is with him That gracious change that is wrought on a Sinner by which of a graceless he is made a graoious Person How do you think it is brought about There is a mystery in it that a Master in Israel did not know John 3.9,10 No Similitude from the old Creation can fully declare it yet some of them are used in the Word and give some light This Work of Grace on the Ungodly whom this Grace falls on is like a Sun-beam darted from the body of the Sun of Righteousness upon a Sinner dead in Sins that doth immediately quicken him and enliven him It is both Light and Life It is all originally in Christ and out of his fulness given to all that partake of it John 1.4 In him was life and the life was the light of men Joh 8.12 I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of Life saith our Lord Jesus Christ is such a Sun that all on whom his gracious Beams light are saved he quickens all he shines upon Men perish under the Gospel indeed but it is because the Light of it shines only about them and without them 2 Cor. 4.4,6 but not into their Hearts All the grace whereby any and all the redeemed of the Lord are converted beautified and saved is from the highest Spring grace in Christ 1 Tim. 1.14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus How came Paul by all the Faith and Love his blessed Soul was filled with All came from the grace of the Lord Jesus And every partaker of true grace will own the same Original 3. This helping grace which we should ask not only helps to Salvation and Grace but also helps grace it self The grace receaved must be refreshed and watered and made to grow by influences from the same Fountain from whence it first flowed or else it will wither quickly Therefore we have the grace of God in the Fountain to betake our selves unto for the helping of his grace in us For tho' grace as in Christ needs no help yet his grace given to and dwelling in us needs a great deal The Father of the Lunatick Mark 9.22,24 came to throne of grace but sorrily What a marvellous change was wrought in him and that suddenly In his first Address he acted Unbelief grosly in the next he acts Faith professeth Faith and prays Christ's help against his Unbelief Many did cast out Devils in Christ's Name but none could help other folks Unbelief nor their own His begging help against his Unbelief was the same Prayer with that of the Apostles Luke 17.5 Lord increase our faith And it gave more Honour to Christ in his Office of a Saviour and did signifie more both of true Faith in Christ and of an honest heart in the Man than if he had addressed with the highest Confidence to the Lord to cast the Devil out of his Son The Youth is lying wallowing and foaming and torn by the evil Spirit in the sight of his tender Father Yet no sooner doth the light of Faith shine in his Heart but he seeth a Devil of Vnbelief there also and he first begs that Christ would cast out that and help his Faith for helping of Vnbelief and helping of Faith is the same thing He that seeks the helping of his Vnbelief seeks the removing of it and he that seeks the helping of hie Faith seeks the increase and strengthening of it And both are done by the same Hand by the same Act of Grace and at the same time whenever and where-ever they are done And as it is with Faith so is it with all the graces of the Spirit in Believers they do need help of his grace And it must be sought at the throne of grace Can you say I repent add Lord help my Impenitence I love say Lord help its coldness and blow it up to a flame Where the true grace of God is there is still some sense of its weakness and inclination after an encrease therein and some dependance acted on the Lord who began the good work for performing it to the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 4. The grace of God helps our Infirmities Rom. 8.26 If it were not written we should think it hard to use the expression If the Spirit of God plant grace in the Heart is not that fair if he water his own Plants is not that fair Nay but saith the Apostle he helps our Infirmities also Might not the Holy Spirit disdain to have any dealing with the Infirmities of his People Yes but he will not If he take no care of our Infirmities we may and must be lost thereby A Criminal pardoned by an Act of Grace may die of a Disease if not cured may starve of hunger and cold if not provided with necessaries may be slain by his Enemies if not protected Sense of Infirmities should make us beg helping Grace 5. Grace helps in all the Work and Duty we are called to Without assisting grace the least piece of Work cannot be rightly done and by its help any Work may be done 2 Cor. 9.8 God is able to make all grace abound towards you that ye always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work There is Grace all grace and its abounding in God toward his people From this given to them there is sufficiency and all sufficiency and that always and in all things and thence flows good work every good work and abounding to every good work Like to this is his Prayer Heb. 13.21 The
and set in a clear Light before the Eyes of your Mind all the particular Providences Tryals and Afflictions and Temptations you are to meet with in seven Years time to come what a dread would it be to you You would soon beg that it might be forgot again It is a great deal better for us that future things that belong to God are secret and kept from us and that we are led on believing and come to the Waters in our way to Heaven one after another and get through them by the gracious Conduct of our blessed Guide Christ He will give no Christian a particular and exact Map of all his Way and Stages and Entertainment in this Wilderness-Journey to Heaven though our Lord hath fixed them all in his Decree Should it not be enough for us that he will lead us well and safely that no Water shall drown us that he will never leave us but be with us wherever he leads us and will bring us safe home at last to his Fathers House 4. Be satisfied with this part of his wise Order That this Supply of his Grace to help in time of need must be come for Not only that we may come for it which is a great Priviledge but that we must come for it if we would have it Is there any so unreasonable as to find fault with this Order is it not fair and easie ask and have Would any have Grace to help them unsought If you would have it you are asking it Is it not fit then to come for it and tell Christ you would have it If you would not have it you are praying against it And wicked are those Prayers that are in aversion from the Grace of Christ Every Believer will find his Heart reconciled to this Order They know that there is a Blessing in coming as well as a Blessing to be got by coming And most Christians I am apt to think continue their Approaches to the Throne of Grace as much if not more from the Delight they find in coming as from the Profit they find by coming though these two are not inconsistent He that delights not himself in the Lord will not always call upon God Job 27.10 So much for this general Exhortation 2. Exhort In the next place I would speak somewhat to them that are not acquainted with the Grace of God nor with the Throne of Grace Graceless people is so bad a name that few will own it tho' many deserve it Such fill up much room in most Assemblies and sometimes may step up into the Pulpit in the name of Ministers of that Grace of God they never knew but in a Book But God calls all by their right names and only can make Men answer to those names Let these four things enter into such Folks Thoughts 1. Vnavoidably a time of need will come that the Grace of God can only help in None but a great Atheist can make any doubt of this Dost thou believe there is a God that thou art a Mortal Man whom a few more days will turn out of this World Dost thou believe that thou hast an immortal Soul that must be for ever and how much a Beast is that Man and worse than a Beast that doubts of any of these If thou believe these plain Principles canst thou doubt but a time of need will come wherein nothing can stand thee in any stead but only this God's Mercy and Grace 2. This present time you have is the only time given you for preparing for the time of need that must come How little is that precious golden Talent Time laid out for that the Lord gives it for Can Men think that God gives them time to spend it in the ways they spend it That must be ill-spent time that is spent so as Men know they must either repent of or perish by We are bid redeem the time Eph. 5.16 But most Men throw it away or fell it to Sin and Satan as if they had no the for it The best use of time is to spend it in preparing for Eternity All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come Job 14.14 These are well-spent Days But how few of the Hours of your Days are thus spent 3. There can be no greater folly than to neglect this present only season of preparing for an unavoidable time of extremity Our Lord in the Parable calls the five negligent Virgins foolish Matth. 25.2 If a Man throw away his Estate in Folly and Vanity the World will brand him with the name of a Fool and justly If a Man throws away his Health and Life there is Folly in that too But for a Man to throw away his Soul and all his hopes of well-being for Eternity is the rankest of all Folly yet is the World so full of such Fools that very few give it its true Name He must be greatly plagued with blindness and stupidity that is not convinced that that is the greatest Folly that shuts a Man eternally out of Heaven and locks him up in Hell 4. There can be no reflexion and remorse more sad and bitter than that that riseth on the Review and Sense of this Folly when it is remediless We read of the worm that dieth not Mark 9.44,46,48 This is commonly understood of Conscience Conscience stings two ways and one way more dreadfully than the other Conscience stings for Sin as it is an offence against God a breach of his Holy Law and as it exposeth the Sinner to God's dreadful Anger But Conscience stings more dreadfully for neglecting the Remedy for Sin provided in Christ and revealed to Men in the Gospel Therefore our Lord lays the Condemnation of the World that perisheth under the Gospel on this John 3.19 It is not laid on the evil of their deeds but on this that their love to their deeds made them hate the Light that discovered them and the Grace that only can pardon and heal them Men perish not under the Gospel because they are Sinners against God's Law though the least Sin deserves Hell and they that have not the Light of the Gospel are justly judged by the Law but because they believe not in Jesus Christ John 3.18 And Believers in Christ are not saved because they are Holy though all that believe are Holy but because they are in Christ by Faith That the Glory of Salvation may be Christ's entirely and the blame of Mens Perdition under the Gospel may be their own intirely Let Men therefore prevent this dreadful Ruin by giving an ear to him that calleth them Christ offers you Salvation from a Throne of Grace Come and take it Come and put forth your Hand and take and eat of the Tree of Life and live for ever You must all shortly stand before Christ's Throne when it will be no more a Throne of Grace 2 Cor. 5.10 We must all appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ That will be a time of great
to have a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward Men. Acts 24.16 It is usually seen that times of great Tryals do dart in some Light into Mens Consciences and do make Men look into their Hearts and Ways more narrowly and spy small Faults that they could not see at other times For they are days of darkness in one sense and days of light in another Study therefore to keep thy Conscience clean and pure by holy and tender walking and by daily believing For it is the Blood of Christ that only can purge the Conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 And let me assure you of this and if you will not believe it I dare say you will feel it and feel it the more then if you believe it not now that such as make all their care about their Consciences to stand in watchfulness about their Hearts and Ways and are utterly estranged from believing Applications to the Blood of Jesus when an evil Day and an evil Conscience meet together and meet they will that they will be in a sad and dreadful Confusion And no better will their Condition be who upon a false Pretence and in this case it is always false of trusting in Christ have no care either of their Conscience or Conversation The Mystery of the Faith is to be held and kept in a pure Conscience 1 Tim. 3.9 We should hold Faith and a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1.19 they cannot be got nor kept but together Whoever suffers Shipwrack of the one loseth the other Christ is the Saviour of Sinners but he is no Minister of Sin Gal. 2.17 He came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 Not to save Saints for there are none in it but of his making and his making Sinners to be Saints is a notable part of his saving 2 Tim. 1.9 The Inheritance is for them that obtain forgiveness of Sins and who are sanctified by Faith in him Acts 26.28 None are saved but the Sanctified and none are sanctified but by Faith in Christ Jesus There may be in an Unbeliever a Picture and shadow of Holiness but it is an Abomination in the sight of God whatever the Man that hath it or they that see it may think of it A holy Vnbeliever or an unholy Believer never was since the World began nor will be while it lasts 5. Multiply your Addresses to the Throne of Grace before the time of need come Happy were that Christian that could cry as earnestly for that Grace that can help him before the time of need come as he will see it needful to have it when that time doth come But it is the weakness of our Minds as Men and of our Grace as Christians that we cannot take up so clear a Prospect of things to come and that they are not so big in our Eyes at a distance as when present Yet by Faith we may foresee times of need and should pray much for Grace to help us when that time comes Suppose you should for twenty years together beg that Grace and Mercy that you should not have occasion for till those years were expired would there be any hurt in it 6. In any special Prospect of an approaching time of need make special Addresses to the Throne of Grace for Grace to help in that time There are two things in these Addresses I recommend to you 1. Let them be Personal Partticular and Secret Our Lord's Direction Matth. 6.6 Many Christians find it an easier thing to keep a day of Prayer with others than to spend an hour in Prayer in secret by themselves It were far easier to know a Man's Frame and State by his secret dealings with God if we were acquainted with them than by all his Professions and Duties besides 2. Let these Addresses be sometimes solemn and long There are some Mercies not to be got as some sort of Devils not to be cast out but by fasting and prayer Matth. 17.21 Secret personal Fasts I am afraid are very rare amongst Christians in our Days Christ commands and directs us about them Matth. 6.16.17,18 as well as about secret Prayer Matth. 6.6,7 Ministers should not load Christians with work above the Strength of their Bodies or Minds or Grace But surely it is but reasonable Service required of you that you should make Addresses to the Throne of Grace in some suitableness to your need of that Grace that is dispensed from it There are four things which if they were the Fruit of my speaking and of your hearing so often from this Text we should both have cause to bless the Lord who teacheth his people to profit Isa 48.17 1. If you learn to pray better and to ply Prayer more David gave himself to Prayer Psal 109.4 The Apostles those extraordinary Officers of the Primitive Church gave themselves continually to Prayer and to the Ministery of the Word Acts 6.4 There are times in which private Christians should give themselves to fasting and prayer 1. Cor. 7.5 If you belong to God he will make you pray and reach you with Briars and Thorns if you will not yield to more gentle Methods How sad is the Reflection that riseth in the Heart under some heavy Tryal This is brought on me for my indulged distance and estrangement from God 2. If you learn to mind Christ more and make more use of him in your Praying He is the King on this Throne of Grace As much as Christ is out of your Minds in Praying so much are you out in Praying and your Praying out of that it ought to be That which we beg is out of Christ's Store In whose Name do we beg it but in his for whose sake but for his Out of whose hand do we receave what we ask and get but out of his It is marvellous that People should pretend to Prayer and think they pray who yet forget Jesus Christ who is all in all in all right Prayer 3. If you learn to mind and plead more God's Free-Grace in Jesus Christ in your praying Free-Grace is the sensible humble Min's Plea he is a proud ignorant Person that seeks or useth any other Plea at God's Throne of Grace Free-Grace is the only thing that Faith can first lay hold on it 's a Plea that any Man may use it is the constant and powerful Plea of a wise Besiever It answers every case and suits every Prayer and the lowest Case and the highest Prayer best 4. If you learn never to leave off improving of christ and pleading for Grace at this Throne of Grace till ye have no more need of Grace And that will never be as long as you live If any Man fall into such a Dream that he is got beyond the need of Grace and so of Praying he is one that never rightly knew himself nor Grace nor Christ nor Praying The Believer knows he stands in need of Christ and Grace and therefore prays as long as he liveth