have a title to it and that have great parts and abilities and answerable obedience let those take it and blesse God that ever they saw the day but what I have I any share in the death of Christ and what did Christ suffer the death of the crosse for me my sinnes so many and my condition so bad and I cannot tell whether I have any faith or no it is so weake and feeble are all punishments removed I cannot thinke it This is your owne fault for this mercy is for thee for every faithfull beleeving soule bee his estate never so low be thy saith never so weake Hast thou faith but as a grain of mustard seed that thou canst scarcely know whether thou hast faith or no yet if it bee true faith there is grace and mercy enough for thee in the Lord Jesus therefore come and draw the water of life and comfort out of the wels of salvation that is out of the sufferings and obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ You have heard that the heart of our Saviour was amazed and astonished it was for thee therefore bee thou cheared Christ suffered the wrath of the Father and came from under it and that is thy victory be thou for ever cheared Our Saviour was imprisoned that thou mightest bee delivered hee was accused that thou mightest be acquitted he was condemned and therefore there is no condemnation to thy soule he suffered death that thou mightest live for evermore therefore goe your way and goe chearily and the God of Heaven goe with you feare not any punishment now for why should you feare them when you shall not feele them You may here have a ground of double comfort in the time of thy greatest distresse whether it be in horrour of heart within or trouble without in both these the Lord Jesus Christ will pittie you and will rescue you from all in his owne season therefore lift up your heads in the middest of all troubles whatsoever First in all outward troubles and in the heaviest trials thou shalt be pittied in them though Christ be gone up to heaven yet hee hath his bowels of pitty and of mercy with him and his bowels of mercy in heaven earne over a poore dismaid creature that is dismaid either because of thy sinnes or because of those punishments which thou fearest for sinne Hebrews 4.15 Wee have not an high Priest that cannot bee touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort wee have not an high Priest that is a stranger to crosses and troubles neither have wee an high Priest like Gallio that cared nothing for those things that is he was not troubled with the persecutions of others as their cups are full and they are not troubled with the poverty of others they are at rest and ease and they are not troubled with those that are in misery but hee was tempted in all things like unto us and so Hebrewes 2.13 wherefore in all things it behoved him to bee made like unto his brethren that he might be mercifull and a faithfull high Priest because he suffered and was tempted hee is also able to succour those that are tempted When the poore doe crie oh pittie and compassion for the Lords sake oh you know not what belongs to a hungry belly nor to a naked backe so I say you know not what it is to have a distressed conscience and therefore you have no remorse to them that are such but you must not think that Christ was not touched with our infirmities though hee sit at the right hand of the Father yet he hath not forgotten his people but he hath left his love and his compassion with us and he is touched when we are troubled Paul persecuted the Church and Christ saith Saul Saul why persecutest thou me the foot is pricked in earth and the head complaineth of it in Heaven he felt the rage and malice of Pauls persecutions though haply poore goodman such a one and poore goody such a one was persecuted yet our Saviour was touched and troubled with it therefore let me tell you how to succour your selves when you finde the wrath of God lie heavie upon you and the anguish of soule lies sore upon you I might also speake of the rage and malice of the wicked but when the arrowes of Gods wrath seize upon the soule and God seemes to bee displeased and to goe away from the soule and mercy and love and the sweetnesse of compassion is going as it was with Christ when he cried out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Hee findes not that sweetnesse of mercies that formerly hee had done these are troubles indeed Now learne you to looke up to Christ and looke to bee pittied by the Lord Jesus Christ It may be thy husband or thy wife or thy friends will not pittie thee but will say he is turned a precise fellow and see now what good hee hath gotten by running to Sermons thus they adde sorrow to sorrow and persecution to persecution because God hath smitten thee therefore they smite thee too but yet notwithstanding all this looke thou up to the Lord Jesus Christ and know that thou shalt finde favour he will have a fellow-feeling with thee in all thy miseries therefore plead with the Lord Jesus Christ and say Lord in thy estate of humiliation thou wert a man full of sorrowes and thou sufferedst much perplexity thou knowest what it is to suffer the wrath of a displeased Father and thou didst crie out Father is mercy and love and goodnes and all gone Oh blessed redeemer heare those cries of them that crie to thee for mercy thou that didst suffer for poore sinners doe thou succour poore sinners and Jesus Christ will certainly pitie you and will send his good Spirit from heaven to comfort you and he will command loving kindnesse to comfort and refresh thee You that groane under your burthens hee will command loving kindnesse to come to such a mans house and to visite such a one and will say such a man is troubled I command thee to comfort him and salvation I charge thee goe to such a house and tell such a man that I love him tell him that I suffered for him and was forsaken that he might not be forsaken I was condemned that he might be redeemed It is a great comfort that the Lord Jesus Christ is touched and knowes how to deliver such as are tempted He that bore up the frame of the heavens and never groaned under the pillars of the earth yet when he was to beare the wrath of God he shrunke at it and said Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me he that bore the wrath of God for thee he will certainly pity thee Secondly you shall not be pittied in outward sorrowes onely but goe your way for ever cheared you shall bee free from all inward miseries and troubles you shall bee delivered from
my thoughts can reach no higher Sixtly then when the Lord hath perfected that grace hee hath bestowed upon us then when a man comes to the end of his dayes he crowns all the grace he hath perfected it were enough and a childes portion to give us grace and vouchsafe us mercy but when wee come in heaven when he hath given us weapons and taught us to fight and made us conquerors then he will crowne us and is not this enough but so it is 2 Tim. 4.6 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course from henceforth is laid up for me a crowne of glory and not for me only but for all those that love the appearing of his comming he makes us worke and he rewards us for what hee hath wrought in us he inables us to doe the service and hee payes us our wages in the second commandement the text saith I will shew mercie to thousands of generations in them that love me one would thinke now that they which loved God deserved mercy no I will shew mercy what you doe it is all from Gods mercy if you love God it is mercy and if God crowne that mercy it is love also so Paul saith The Lord shew mercy to Onesiphorus for hee releeved mee one would thinke that this would have merited everlasting life no the Lord shew mercy hee hath refreshed mee in my trouble and done service of love to mee and glory to God now the Lord shew mercy to him so that the Lord gives us grace and hee crowns that grace hee gives hee makes us worke and hee rewards the worke hee gives us the victory and he makes us triumph and be more than conquerors thus then we have the tenure of this conveyance and now I may read your feofment to you you poore Saints of God you live beggarly and basely here yet this is the best match that ever you made in the world you are made for ever if you have a Saviour it is that which will maintaine you not onely Christianly but triumphantly you shall have enough here too much hereafter if too much can be conceived or received what you want Christ hath you need not goe a begging to other mens doores Secondly you need not thinke he is churlish and unkinde but whatsoever you need and is fit for you he will give you but you must not be malepart and sawcy with the Lord Jesus and say Why have not I this as well as others no you shall have what is fitting Thirdly he will maintaine what he gives and fourthly he will quicken what hee maintains and fiftly hee will perfect what hee quickens and lastly he will crowne that he perfects hee will give you an immortall crowne of glory We have read now the feofment of a faithfull soule and you see what you shall have from the hand of the Lord Jesus wee should now come to the reasons of the point but that time will prevent us and wee have had the pith of the point already in opening the tenure of the conveyance of grace to the beleeving soule we will therefore passe on to the use of the point Vse 1 Is it thus then to us saith the text to us who are those I pray inquire of it looke into the 26. verse You know your calling that is those that are called those that beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ to us those are the people mentioned those are the persons intended therefore in the first place it is a matter of lamentation and complaint which wee shall in a word intimate to those to whom it belongs if all this good be appointed for all the servants of God and only the servants of God for the called and none but the called then it is a thunderbolt able to breake the heart and sinke the soule of every unbeleeving creature under heaven and make him shake at the misery of his condition and the evill that shall betide him you that are in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquitie that have stood it out with Christ and he could never prevaile with you but you would take up your owne courses and hee hath come and called and knocked will that proud heart never come will that drunken wretch never bee reformed you that are such whatever you be I say know this and know it to your sorrow and trouble and vexation of spirit you are shut out from sharing in you are cut off from partaking of the riches of the grace and the plentifull redemption of the Lord Jesus Christ to this day you that are unbeleevers I say to this day you are in darknesse your mindes were never inlightned to this day the guilt and curse of sinne lyes upon your consciences and the pollution of sinne lyes upon your soules and defiles them to this day condemnation hangeth over your heads Iohn 3.18 He that beleeves not is condemned already and he shall never see light but the wrath of God abideth on him I beseech you observe it this is that which one would thinke should cut a mans conscience and be a corasive to his soule whatsoever he doth wheresoever he is we thinke this should crush all his delight he that beleeves not shall never see light hee may see his gold and the profits of the world and hee may see his friends and the comforts of this life and then hee hath his portion all you drunken unbeleeving wretches all you stubborne prophane malicious creatures you have your portion much good doe you with your sops you have your part but there is no medling for you with the consolation and redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ the text saith He is made to us you poore Saints of God doe not suffer them to scramble and take the meat off the table he was made to us take you your portion and God refresh your hearts therewith but you that are unbeleevers have no part nor portion at all in this rich revenues and precious dowrie that God vouchsafeth to his Saints I know what they will bee ready to say but they couzen themselves we are haply naught and our courses are vile but yet I hope there is mercie and sanctification and redemption in the Lord Jesus Christ aye it is true there is enough there is rich mercie that is more and there is plentifull redemption I tell you that too but this is thy miserie thou poore creature thou hast no part nor share therein when a man that is hungrie shall see all dainties prepared when a man that is almost starved shall see abundance of provision wardrobs of clothes to cover him and abundance of meat to refresh him and yet one starves and the other famisheth this is the greatest miserie of all to see meat and not to eat it to see clothes and not to put them on now the Lord open your eyes and prevaile with your hearts there are many unbeleevers there are a world of unbeleevers but
now take notice of it this will be thy miserie because thou shalt see whole treasures of mercie counted out before mercie for Manasses and mercie for Paul and mercie for the bloudy jaylour and mercie for such a rebellious sinner that humbled himselfe before God and no mercie for thee there is plentifull rich abundant redemption in the Lord Jesus Christ but thou shalt never partake thereof when thou shalt see Abraham and Isaak and Iakob and a companie of poore creatures goe into heaven at the day of the resurrection when thou shalt see a companie of poore creatures goe up to Christ and receive mercie and great redemption and thou shalt goe without this will bee gall and worm-wood to thy soule and strike thy soule into everlasting despaire therefore the Lord open thine eyes that thou maist come in and receive mercie at his Majesties hand now you have your share now stand by and let us set the bread before the children that they may take their part also and be cheaâ—ed and comforted then you that are beleevers in the Lord you that are called attend to your share and sit downe and eat and bee refreshed O my well-beloved receive what comes and be happie in receiving it Vse 2 The second use therefore is a ground of comfort and that is the proper inference and collection from the former doctrine is it so that the Lord Jesus Christ conveyeth all grace to all beleevers to all his poore servants from day to day then you that have a share therein and have interest to all the riches of Gods goodnesse let this be a cordiall to cheare your drooping hearts and stay your soules notwithstanding temptations notwithstanding persecution notwithstanding opposition notwithstanding any thing that may befall you for the present or any thing you may feare for the future time cheare up your drooping spirits in the consideration hereof and be for ever comforted for ever contented for ever refreshed you have a faire portion what would you have what can you desire what would quiet you what will content you would the wisedome of a Christ satisfie you would the sanctification of a Christ please you would the redemption of a Christ cheare you you complaine your hearts are hard and your sinnes great and your selves miserable and many are the troubles that lie upon you will the redemption of a Christ now satisfie you if this will doe it it is all yours his wisedome is yours his righteousnesse is yours his sanctification is yours his redemption is yours all that he hath is yours and I thinke this is sufficient if you know when you are well therefore goe away cheared goe away comforted Christ is yours therefore be fully contented I would not have the Children of God drooping and dismaid because haply of the policy of the world their parts are great and they reach deepe and in the meane time your parts are small and your ignorance great and your memories feeble 1 Pet. 11. Be not thou troubled be not thou discontented because of that which they have thou wantest for know thy portion is better than theirs the wisedome of Christ is better than all the policy of the world the sanctification of a Christ is better than all the reformation and all the trickes of all cunning Hypocrites under Heaven the redemption of a Christ is better than all the hope and safetie the world can afford this is thy part and portion therefore be thou satisfied therewith the wisdome saith Iames that is malicious and envious and the like it is earthly carnall sensuall and devillish but the wisedome that is from above it is first pure then meeke then abundant in good workes one drop of this wisdome of a Christ is better than all the wisdome in the world art thou a poore creature and knowest Christ to bee thy Saviour and hast an intimation of the love of God to be thy Father and the Spirit thy Comforter thy knowledge is more worth than all the knowledge of all the great Cardinals and mightie Popes and learned Clearks upon the face of the earth a dram of gold is better than a cart-load of earth it is little but it is precious so it is here a dram of spirituall wisdome it is golden wisdome it is heavenly wisdome it is able to make thee wise unto salvation a dram of that wisdome though it be little is worth a thousand cart-loads of that dung-hill carnall wisdome that all the machivilian Politicians in the world can have or improve therefore quiet thy selfe and content thy soule that it is sufficient that what thou wantest Christ will supply unto thee dost thou want wisdome Christ will be thy wisdome dost thou want memory Christ will be thy remembrance hast thou a dead heart Christ will inlarge thee whatever is awanting on thy part there is nothing awanting on Christs part but he will do whatsoever is fitting for thee therefore let nothing hinder thee from that comfort that may beare up thy heart in the greatest triall but I know what troubles you the poore soule will say Is Christ wisdome to me that is a like matter did I but thinke that were my judgement convinced and my heart perswaded of that I were satisfied What I what such a base creature as I am let not that basenesse that hangs upon thee nor the meanes of thy condition that troubles thee discourage thy heart for that cannot withdraw Gods favour from thee nor abridge thee of that favour and mercie that is tendered unto thee in the Lord Jesus Christ all the basenesse of the place wherein thou art and the meanes of thy condition cannot hinder thee of this favour looke upon the text to whom is this promise made to whom doth the Apostle speake He is made to us to us base ones to us foolish ones thou art ignorant and foolish bee it so thou art base and weake grant that despised in the world and made nothing of confesse that and all nay thou art not in thine owne account nor in the account of the world there is no regard had of thee no value put upon thee in this nature why marke what the text saith God hath chosen the foolish things the weake things the base things the despised things nay the things that are not to whom is Christ made wisdome to you fooles to whom is Christ made strength to you weak ones to whom is Christ made honour to you base to whom is Christ made sanctification and redemption to you that are not in the world thou hast nothing thou canst doe nothing it skils not God the Father hath appointed it unto thee and Christ hath brought it therefore be cheared herein though thou beest a foole Christ is able to informe thee though thou beest base and weak and miserable Christ is able to succour and releeve thee and sanctifie that soule of thine therefore bee fully contented and fully setled with strong consolation for ever but you will confesse it
looke up to God from whence it comes looke to those mountaines of mercy that will succour you look up to a Lord Jesus that will supply all your wants that will furnish you with all grace looke onely to him for all for he onely is the Author and giver of all looke as I have observed it there is a foolish conceit that hath beene bred by some curious nice brains that they have perswaded themselves they can make the Philosophers stone the nature of which is to turne all metall into gold which is utterly impossible for the Mines of gold are in the earth and God continueth them by an ordinary course of his providence but all the men upon earth can never make gold by any Art or means in the world To turne the nature of one metall into the nature of another it is a kinde of creation therefore beyond the reach of any man to doe it they may trie and trie and spend their heart blood and all but it is all but lost labour So it is with our foolish blinde deluded hearts and distracted spirits we thinke to make gold and to coine grace out of our owne powers and parts and abilities I tell you you can never doe it while the world stands no no you doe but lose your labour goe to the Mine of gold the Mine of grace goe to the God of all mercy away to the Lord Jesus Christ I say he is made unto us wisedome and hee will informe us hee is made unto us righteousnesse and hee will acquit us hee is made unto us grace goe to him therefore and hee will communicate all grace unto our soules Looke as Iacob said to his sonnes when the famine was sore in the Land of Canaan hee sent his sonnes into Egypt to buy corne that they and their little ones might not famish and marke how hee calls upon them Why stand you here gazing one upon another I doubt not but then they were laying their heads together and plotting and conferring saying the famine is great and the times dangerous and wee are miserable now but oh what will become of us afterwards if these times last now the Lord help us now the Lord bee mercifull to us and deliver us what meanes shall wee use what course were wee best to take In the mean time Iacob calls upon them Why stand you here gazing one upon another away get you downe to Egypt presently and buy us food you will never get provision to sustaine us by plotting and talking one with another you will never get any come to sustaine you by looking and gazing one upon another no no downe to Egypt with all speed there corne is to be had that we and those that belong unto us may live and not die so it is with the soules of Gods children the poore distressed heart partly through the Devils cunning and subtiltie partly also through our owne ignorance and folly wee stand gazing at our corruptions and it begin to thinke and wonder what will become of us no means prevaile no mercies melt no judgements humble no reproofs awe us the famine growes strong my corruptions fierce and my case heavie that I know not almost what course to take why stand you thus gazing after this fashion what doe you thinke to get grace upon these termes by discouragements and disquieting your selves and vexing your owne hearts thus No no away to Egypt to the promise of life to the Lord Iesus for help and assistance and then you shall have mercy and grace abundantly bestowed upon you and that freely with your money in the mouth of your sacks againe you shall have grace that you need and sufficiently bestowed upon you Looke as it is with Eliah when he was to depart from Elisha and bee taken up into Heaven Elisha craves one thing of him and that was this 1 Kings 2.9 That the Spirit of Elias might he doubled upon Elisha now marke how Eliah answered Thou hast asked a hard thing saith hee neverthelesse if thou canst see mee when I am taken from thee it shall bee granted to thee Now some Interpreters have observed and that very wisely that it was not so much the sight of Elias as the sight of God taking up of Elias that should doe this as if hee had said wouldst thou have a double portion of Gods Spirit vouchsafed unto thee because many miseries are like to come in upon thee great and heavie troubles and sore persecution is approching what course then is to bee taken why see God taking up of Elias that God that tooke up Elias and that God that wrought grace in the heart of Elias see that God and be within the view of that God and thy request shall be granted to thee the collection is faire so I say here if thou wouldst have a double portion of grace doe not goe to prayer onely doe not goe to hearing onely doe not goe to the Sacraments onely and barely but oh see a Christ and looke upon a promise and then thou shalt have a double portion of wisedome to informe thee a double portion of sanctification to cleanse thee a double portion of grace and power and strength against thy corruptions from Christ conveyed and communicated to thy soule and this is the first rule The second rule is this as we must have an eye dayly upon the promise so wee must labour to yeeld the soule to the power of that Spirit and to the vertue of that Grace which is in Christ and would worke upon thee doe not onely eye a Saviour and behold grace in the promise but yeeld thy selfe and give way to the stroke of the promise and to the power of the spirit that by the power thereof thou maist bee inabled to doe what God requires 2 Cor. 3.18 The holy Apostle disputing there how men should bee transformed into the glorious Image of God or as the word is metamorphosed from one degree of glorious grace unto another more holy and more meeke and more patient and more heavenly minded Hee that was cold before should now become more zealous he that was faint hearted before should now become more couragious how is this done even as by the Spirit of the Lord saith the Text as if he had said it is not by your spirits that this must or can be done doe not thinke that you can master your owne corruptions or that you can pull downe the distempers of your owne hearts and get what grace you list no no it is not your spirits can doe this it must bee the Spirit of Christ as by the Spirit of the Lord so the Apostle The phrase of the Prophet David is sweet in his kinde Teach me the way unto thee thy Spirit is good as who should say O Lord my spirit is a naughtie spirit my spirit is a proud spirit my spirit is a prophane spirit my spirit is a weake spirit my spirit is an ignorant and a blind spirit but oh
save me another clambring upon the trees all floting and crying and dying there there was no saving but for those only that were gotten into the arke Oh so it will be you poore foolish beleevers the world is like this sea wherein are many floods of water many troubles much persecution Oh get you into the arke the Lord Iesus and when one is roring and yelling Oh the devill the devill another is ready to hang himselfe or to cut his owne throat another sends for a Minister and hee crieth Oh there is no mercy for me I have opposed it get you into Christ I say and you shall bee safe enough I will warrant you your soules shall bee transported with consolation to the end of your hopes This was that which comforted Saint Paul and made him bid defiance to all the world Rom. 8. 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect as who should say shall all the angels in Heaven shall all the devils in Hell shall all the men upon the earth shall sinne within shall actions without it is God onely that justifieth not for anything we have or doe but for Christs sake This is that I conclude withall this one doctrine affords supply in all wants and courage in all trials I know what troubleth you will this blinde minde never bee inlightned I thinke I shall never be able to conceive of the truths of God aright how can the Lord accept of mee when I condemne my selfe how can the Lord shew any favour to mee when I fall out with my selfe and wonder that I am not in the bottomlesse pit such a base heart I carry about with me and such a polluted conversation and yet live and not in hell I have thought sometimes God cannot be Iust if he doe not condemne me why I say art thou burthened with thy sinnes and dost thou goe out of thy selfe for the pardon of them why goe away comforted the Lord will justifie thee not for thy workes but for Christs merits thou hast committed all iniquitie Christ hath performed all righteousnesse thou hast nothing of thy selfe Christ hath enough for thee and thou art not justified for what thou hast or dost but for the Lord Iesus sake looke up to him therefore and bring him to Gods tribunall to answer for thee that when Satan shall bring in his bils of inditement against thee and say what doe you hope to goe to Heaven doe you not consider the sinnes which you have committed doe you not remember the base courses which heretofore you have taken up and practized doe you not know that every sinner must die why answer Satan again all this is true Ay but remember the Lord Iesus it is true I can doe nothing but Christ hath done all for me what canst thou say to the Lord Iesus though I have offended hee hath never offended though I have sinned yet Christ hath fully satisfied I have deserved the wrath of God why Christ hath bore the wrath of God My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee He was once forsaken of God that I might bee for ever accepted of God goe thy wayes therefore comforted and refreshed the place is admirable Isaiah 43.25 Thou hast made mee serve with thy sinnes and wearied mee with thy rebellions but I even I am hee that blotteth out all thine iniquities and will remember thy transgressions no more The Lord takes notice of this are there any wicked they are as bad are there any vile they are as sinnefull they tired God with their wickednesse All you poore drunkards you trie God with your drunkennesse you prophaners of the Lords day you tire God with your prophanations and you swearers you trie Christ Iesus with your oaths and hidious blasphemies that you belch forth against him upon all occasions you would wonder that God should save such as you and truly so you may well enough for it is a wonder it is a miracle indeed but if you can goe out of your selves and sinnes and goe unto Christ and rest upon him the Lord saith I will blot out all those abominations of yours and Ezekiel 33.32 compare both those places together I will forget all your sinnes even for mine owne names sake as who should say it is not for your sakes no no bee it knowne to those stout hearts of yours it is not for your parts or gifts or graces no nor it is not for all the services wee can discharge but it is onely for mine owne Names sake that I will pardon you and remember your sinnes no more remember thy pride and stubbornnesse no more remember thy prophanenesse no more remember thy vanitie and loosenesse no more remember thou to bee humbled and the Lord will never remember thy sinnes any more Satan it may bee will come in and accuse thee here is a Sabbath-breaker Lord condemne him no more of that Satan saith God Christ hath suffered and satisfied for him no more therefore of that let mee heare no more of those things I have forgotten them saith God this will cheere a mans heart at that great day This also is a ground of incouragement to us against all the trials that can befall us in the course of the world we see that innocencie goeth to the wals no man can stand against envie and hatred and backbiting why though you finde hard dealing here at the hands of wicked men though you be accused here with false surmises and false accusations and slanderous speeches yet set one against the other you shall never bee condemned hereafter There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ there may bee persecutions there may bee accusations there may be oppositions here upon earth raised against thee why yet goe on cheerily there is no condemnation in Heaven if God acquit let men condemne if God approve let men disallow nay lastly here is consolation even in death also what though your bodies bee deprived of your soules and you leave all when you returne again it is but onely thus Come yee blessed of my Father you that are beleevers you shall bee for ever blessed Vse 3 The third use is of exhortation will nothing doe the deed but a Christ why Oh then above all labour for a Christ more than all labour to prize a Christ never let thy heart bee quieted never let thy soule bee contented untill thou hast obtained Christ Take now a malefactor sentence is passed execution to bee administered upon him suggest any thing to him how to be rich or how to bee pardoned how to bee honoured or how to be pardoned Ay saith hee riches are good and honours are good but oh a pardon or nothing ay but then you must leave all for a pardon why take all saith he and give me a pardon that I may live thought in povertie that I may live though in misery though in beggary this is the nature of such a poore creature So it is with a poore beleeving
that Christ charged them upon himselfe they both make a compact that poore lost man shall be saved and Christ submits and is contented to beare their sinnes and to have the Law proceed against him Now I come to the reasons why God the Father doth charge the sinnes of all the faithfull upon Christ the reasons are three and I reason from the explication thus Reason 1 First that which the Lord Jesus Christ did willingly yeeld and submâ—â—imselfe to without sinne that God the Father might lay upon him without any wrong and might charge it upon him as due debt I say what the Lord Jesus Christ did willingly submit himselfe to without any dishonour to himselfe that God the Father might justly charge upon him but our Saviour did willingly submit himselfe to the divine Justice of God the Father to take their sinnes and to beare their sorrowes and to bee in the roome of a sinner he came voluntarily in our roome and therefore being under the Law and being our scapegoat the Father might justly lay and charge our debts upon him because hee had taken them upon himselfe he that will enter into bond with the creditor and free the debtor it is very equall that the creditor proceed against him as against the debtor Reason 2 Secondly the justice of God requires this at the hands of Jesus Christ to wit that he should not onely suffer for sinners but also take the very guilt of sinners upon himselfe by imputation and bee in their roome And that the justice of God doth require this at the hands of Christ may thus be conceived The anger justice and severitie of God were manifested in the fall of man for when man back sinned and fallen then anger and justice began to worke and now Adam saw God to bee an angry and a just God now the glory of those attributes appeared and now all the complaint stands upon mercies side and therefore mercy appeals to the great Court in Heaven and then it saith wisedome and power and goodnesse have all beene manifested in the Creatâ—on and anger and justice they have beene glorified in the fall of Adam but I have not yet beene manifested Oh let some poore soules bee comforted and saved that they may know there is a mercifull God and then the case is debated onely justice steps in and takes it selfe as wronged It is true saith justice it is fit that mercy should bee honoured yet it is not fit that I should bee wronged must my glory be injured would you have a company of sinfull rebels pardoned and forgiven when they have thus abused holinesse and goodnesse and resisted the Will of God nay except they be punished I cannot have my due mercy must be honoured but yet justice must not be wronged Now God is a just God and hee must give every one their due glory to whom glory belongs and justice to whom justice belongs justice must not be offended but must bee appaid and have its right this is the controversie therefore the Lord Jesus Christ steps in and makes up all even on both sides and there is a way devised whereby justice may bee fully satisfied and yet mercy magnified and so much the more is mercy magnified by how much justice was wronged Then Christ comes in and saith that justice shall punish all unbeleevers and so it shall be satisfied for all the wrong done to it and mercy shall bee magnified upon the beleeving soules because the beleever is not able to beare divine justice himselfe therefore Christ Jesus is contented to bee accounted guiltie that justice may inflict punishment upon him as deserving it for otherwise to punish the innocent and to acquit the guiltie will not stand with justice Now therefore that justice may have his due from him and yet doe him no wrong therefore he was content to be accounted guiltie and though hee were innocent yet he was contented to bee accounted noceâ— Now if God in justice require punishment of our Saviour then the same justice must account our Saviour as guiltie otherwise hee should punish the innocent which he cannot in justice doe but God the Father did punish Christ Jesus for justice is satisfied by the punishment therefore it is requisite that he should bee under the Law also God in justice must account him guiltie that in justice he may be punished so the issue is this If God the Father doe in iustice punish Christ then it is required that heâ— should bee accounted as guiltie and under the Law but the Father did doe it therefore he did account him as a sinner and as guiltie and did lay their sinnes unto his charge Reason 3 Thirdly the third argument is taken from the love and mercy of Jesus Christ which abundantly is magnified herein in taking upon him the roome of a sinner for whatsoever the Lord Jesus Christ could doe for a poore sinner without sinne that he did doe in the pardon of sinne but this Christ might doe without sinne and is doing thereof might expresse abundance of love not onely to lay downe his life for us but to vaile his innocencie for us hee was accounted a malefactor and a sinner for us this is the highest pitch of admirable love that can bee for the lower the degree of his abasement was the greater was his love for it is one thing to die and it is another thing to vaile his honour and holinesse and he that was God equall with the Father to be accounted as guilty of sin this argues marvellous mercy and love therefore it was fit that it should be taken Vse 1 The first use is a word of instruction to all the faithfull of God they are to learne this point of wisedome Is it so that God the Father hath laid thy sinnes upon Jesus Christ doth the guilt of them lie there and hath Christ taken them and the guilt of them upon himselfe and the condemnation due unto the same then doe thou not take them from him to thy selfe Therefore what the Jewes did with the sacrifice so doe you with a Saviour Leviticus 16.21 When Aaron came to offer up the scapegoat he laid both his hands upon him with all his might and he put all the sinnes of Israel upon the head of the live goat The Hebrew Writers observe three things in the words First hee laid on both his hands with all his might Secondly there was nothing betweene the hand of the offerer and the sacrifice which was made Thirdly he must confesse his sinnes and the sinnes of all the Israelites over the goat and say Lord I have transgressed and have committed this and that iniquitie but now Lord I returne to thee and bring an offering of attonement and I beseech thee good Lord to accept it So let this bee the guise of the heart of every faithfull Christian when hee would have quiet and ease if ever you would have acceptance with Christ then carry him with thee to the Father
if they will take the guilt of your sinnes upon them they say we have too many inabilities to procure pardon for any one sinne and never a Saint in the world dares to meddle with the guilt of anothers sinnes and therefore they dare not meddle with them but they say as the wise virgins did to the foolish ones Matth. 25.9 When the foolish virgins said give us of your oyle for our lamps are gone out not so said they lest there bee not enough for you and us too but rather goe unto them that sell and buy for your selves Even so if you goe to the Saints and say I pray you undertake the pardon of my sinnes and rebellions and beare you the guilt of my sinnes because you are holy and righteous no say they we cannot so all the creatures cannot succour you If all the creatures in heaven and earth should conspire together to save you from the burthen of any one sinne they could not doe it nay the creatures become your accusers the bed whereupon thou hast committed so many abominations and the alehouse where thou hast beene drunke and hast blasphemed and the habitation where thou dwellest and all the creatures groane against thee under the burthen of thy abominations as Rom. 8.22 Therefore they wil take no more guilt upon them than what they have already they are too weary of the weight of what they fele already but though the saints dare not and the creatures cannot save you yet there is hope in heaven there is help to be had in Christ well were it with thee if thou hadst any share in that Christ but this is that which will sinke thy heart that there is no hope for thee there what dost thou talke of grace and of mercy when thou hast opposed the Gospell of grace and of mercy and thou continuest in unbeleefe this is the height and depth of the misery of all unbeleevers that there is no hope for them in heaven This was that which the wicked said when they insulted against David in Psalme â— 2 There is no helpe for him in his God what they said of David falsly God saith it truly of thee there is no help for thee in God there is mercy in Christ but that 's thy misery for there is none for thee being an unbeleever Psalme 18.41 David there expresseth the miserie of the wicked Because the Lord leaves them in their troubles they cried but there was none to save them yea even unto the Lord but he answered them not That 's thy estate right though thou callest to heaven and to Christ and to the God of mercy and to the merits of Christ yet they will not helpe thee thou hast many sinnes and thou shalt beare them every one Now thinke what your sinnes have deserved and how you will be able to beare them when all flesh shall appeare before God then the Lord will charge all thy sinnes upon thy soule and thou must beare and if every sinne deserves condemnation then how wilt thou be able to beare all those condemnations that are due to all thy sins which thou canst not number even the dregs of vengeance and the bottome of the cup of the Lords indignation Christ in Iohn 17.9 speaking of the faithfull and how hee praies to the Father for them he saith I pray not for them of the world but for these whom thou hast given mee out of the world When a poore unbeleever shall come to Jesus Christ and shall intreat him to speake a good word for him when hee hath never regarded his person not accepted of his gracious offers of mercy and shall intreat Christ to pray for him no saith Christ I never prayed for the obstinately wicked now if Christ will not speake a good word for thee dost thou thinke that hee will pardon the guilt of thy sinnes upon him nay he only pardons the guilt of the sinnes of the faithfull but as for thee thou must beare thy sinnes and suffer for them for evermore Vse 3 The third use is a word of exhortation and instruction to all the saints and faithfull of God if Christ were content to bee made sin for all the faithfull then what must you be contented to doe for your Saviour was he made sinne for thee then be thou content to be made shame for him be thou willing to beare the shame and disgrace and reproach that comes unto thee for the Name of Christ be content to be accounted the such and off-scouring of the earth bee not evill doers but be contented to bee counted as evill doers 1 Cor. 4.13 Wee are persecuted and yet wee pray we are reviled and yet we blesse we are accounted as the off-scouring of the earth untill this time So doe you bee content to beare any shame that is unjustly laid upon thee for thy Saviour which was accounted a sinner for thee Acts 24.14 S. Paul was resolute in it and said after the way that ye call heresie worship I the Lord God of my Fathers nay hee presseth this upon the hearts of Gods Children Hebrewes 13.12 13. speaking in the 12. verse that Christ tooke our sinnes upon him and went out of the citie and was slaine without the gate he saith in the 13. verse Let us therefore goe out of the Camp to him bearing our reproach be not afraid to be seene in a Christian cause nor to be disgraced for it goe out boldly and resolutely harden your faces and steel your hearts against all such things and let the dogs barke and the winds blow and the waves roare goe you out of the Campe for his honour bearing his reproach comfortably he hath borne sinne for thee beare thou shame for him Vse 4 Fourthly it is a word of comfort and consolation to all the faithfull be thy sinnes never so many and the guilt of them never so great yet learne this skill to cast it all on the Lord Jesus Christ ease thy owne soule of it and hurle thy care on him that careth for thee This is that which I would have all the faithfull wary of not to make their miseries more than they should Now Christ not onely tooke our sinnes by imputation but also the payment of the debt was really discharged by our Saviour he laid downe the payment of the debt and suffered the punishment really though I doe not conceive this to be directly intended yet it may be inferred from the words of the Text in the former point Christ was charged with the sinnes of all the faithfull and now Christ did suffer their pains and underwent the whole punishments which their sinnes required so the point of Doctrine from hence is this Doctrine The Lord Jesus Christ suffered fully whatsoever punishments divine justice required or were deserved by the sinnes of the faithfull I ground this Doctrine out of the Text thus the text saith Christ was made sinne that is he had our sinnes imputed to him and therefore hee must
that happinesse and glory which heretofore hath beene expected and Christ hath promised now it shall be attained the time now comes when the Saints of God shall have no more tears in their eyes nor sin in their soules not sorrow in their hearts when they die then their sins and sorrowes die too you shal never be dead harted more then you shal have holineâ— in ful possession which so long time you have longed for it is now only in expectation and you hope and looke for it when the Lord will put wisedome into your blinde mindes and holinesse into your corrupted hearts but when death comes it will bring you to the fruition of all that holinesse and happinesse and this is done by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Iohn 3.2 Wee are now the sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what we shall bee and we know that when he shall be made manifest we shall bee made like him that is like to him in all holinesse and happinesse as hee is altogether holy and altogether happy now you are children but onely in nonage now you are onely wives betrothed and you goe up and downe in your rags of sinne but when the solemnization of the marriage shall be in the great day of accounts then we shall be like him and hee will make us altogether holy and hee will fill our blinde mindes with knowledge and possesse our corrupt hearts withall puritie holinesse and grace so far as thy soule shall be capable of it and shall bee needfull for thee what are you unwilling to goe to your husband the wife sometimes receives letters from her espoused husband shee welcomes the messenger and accepts the tokens kindly and reads the letter gladly and will not part with his tokens above any thing but oh how she longs to injoy himselfe in his owne person this is her chiefest desire to be possessed of him and to have his company alwayes so the Lord Jesus Christ is your husband he died that ye might live he is ascended up into heaven and hath made passage for you you have many intimations of his mercy and many sweet smiles from heaven saying well goe thy way thy sins are pardoned and thy soule shall be saved these are his tokens and I hope you will lay them up by you make much of them but when will the time come that I may injoy my Saviour Now I have a little mercy and a little holinesse and a little pardon of sinne but oh that I might injoy my Saviour fully Now it is quite contrary with the wicked the death of the wicked is a means to shut them out of all the hope they had of receiving mercy for when death parts soule and body then there is no more cards and dice no more lusts the adulterer shall no more satisfie himselfe with his unclean lusts the drunkard shall not then bee drunke the blasphemer shall not then blaspheme so as hee was wont to doe for nothing but he shall be and blaspheme God for something and his soule shall bee full of Gods vengeance this is the death of the wicked the death of the Saints is like a ferriman to convey them over to eternall happinesse but the death of the wicked is as a hangman to bereave them of life and salvation too death to the saints is as a guide to convey them to happinesse but to the wicked death is as a Jailor to carry them away to the place of execution And thus much briefly of the former part of the answer namely that our Saviour suffered the death natural Now our Saviour did not onely suffer in his body but he suffered in his soule also you may conceive of it in two particulars First there is a reall withdrawing of the sense and feeling of the mercy and compassion of God a stoppage as I may say and a taking off the sweet operation of Gods love and favour from the soule when that sensible refreshing and conveyance of the mercy and kindnesse of Gods countenance is turned away from the soule this is a part of the second death and this is the paine of losse that is the poore sinner loseth that sweet influence of that abundant mercy and compassion and that sweetnesse that is in all those glorious attributes which should fill the soule with satisfactory sweetnesse and content as thus sometimes it pleases God to discover those pain of hell unto his servants here on earth and hee brings them by the suburbs of hell that they may know what it is to bee in heaven and also what it is to commit sinne so against a gracious God Psalme 31.22 I said in mine haste I am cast out of sight As if hee had said God hath taken away the sweet smiles of his countenance from the heart of David and 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 a part of the second death yet thou â—he art â—est the voyce of thy praier David was now in some distresse by reason of the withdrawing of the favour of God from his soule this is the first part of the second death Secondly when the fierce indignation of the Lord semeth upon the soule of a poore creature when the Lord sets open the floodgates of his anger and wrath and fils the soule unsupportably with his vengeance Psal 43. â— Why hast thou cast mee off and Psalme 51.11 Cast me not away out of thy presence c. The Lord seemed to cast him away and to send him packing and hee seemed to bee cast away in his owne apprehension both these you shall see concluded on in Iob 13.24 Thou râ—est bitter things against mee and hidest thy face away from me and takest mee for thy enemy The Lord not onely went away and hid him but he made Iob a But that so his arrowes might come against him pell mell and he let all his displeasure fall upon him with might and maine so then there is first a reall withdrawing of the sweetnesse of the mercy of God from the soule and secondly a reall inflicting of the indignation of the Lord and that fils the soule of a poore creature Quest. 2 Now the second question is this how far our Saviour suffered these paines To this I answer that so I may carry the cause with as much plainnesse and nakednesse as may be that each poore creature may get something give mee leave to answer the question in these conclusions one will make way for another onely here let mee tell you thus much that I mean onely to make declaration of the truth of the point and the argument shall be afterwards First it is possible that some paines of Hell may be suffered in this life and therefore the living and being of our Saviour in this life is no hindrance but that he might undergoe them This I say to prevent a weak plea of some that desire to tie and intail all the pains of Hell to another life and the place to be Hell and they thinke that
what will ye spit in my face what you what and to a Saviour too and will ye pierce my soule by the corruptions of your hearts and by the actions of your hands thus the Lord Jesus Christ perswades you to see sin and to abhorre and 〈◊〉 it upon all occasions and therefore let us answâ—â— the requests of our Saviour and not shew our selves desperately wicked to pierce him againe and to renew his sufferings Vse 2 In the second place did our Saviour suffer these paines then see here the strictnesse of Gods justice Oh that exact precise severitie of Gods proceedings without exception of any mans person God puts no difference although hee were his Sonne but hee layes punishment upon him This is the reason of that exact dealing of God in Rom. 2.9 Tribulation and anguish shall bee upon the soule of every one that sinned and why 〈◊〉 God is no respecter of persons as verse 11. that the ground of it and it is not onely exprest but it 〈◊〉 also proved undeniable Rom. 11.22 Behold therefore the bountie and severitie of God towards them which have fallen severitie but towards that bountifulnesse remember Gods just proceeding against the Jewes and therefore it is that the Apostle citeth all the proceedings of Gods judgements not onely against the heathens that never knew him or his enemies that alwayes opposed him but even to his friends such as he had shewed much favour and mercy to if they sinne they shall be destroyed for their sinne But oh the just exactnesse of the justice of the Lord how severely just he is for this exactnesse is not onely upon the wicked and open profane but upon his owne deare children and they that have had his ordinances as in Amos the Prophet shewes what favours they had received in regard of the means but yet feel how severely the Lord punisheth them but he hold the miracle of justice in the Lord Jesus Christ his onely Sonne in whom his soule delighted our Saviour that had but the shadoâ—s of sinne had all punishments laid upon him in thick 〈◊〉 Now answer me whether God the Father bee not a strict God or no and a just and righteous God that would thus deale with his onely Sonne A man would have thought if any thing in the world could have stopped the hand of Divine justice that it should not proceed from God the Father then Christ he might have done it for her had all that ever any one in the world could have If the excellency of the person of our Saviour could have done it or the holinesse of the soule of our Saviour then he might have beene exempted from punishment yet all these were not able to doe it because hee was a suretie but yet a man would have thought that those teares of blood might in some measure moderate the matter could not those servent petitions of him have had so much as some abatement of the punishment when he cried out saying Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me and then againe the second time Father if it bee possible let this cup passe from mee nay the third time Father if it bee possible let this cup passe from me The Son of God was now upon the racke with it if it be possible let this cup passe from mee let mee onely have a sip and away and so let it passe from mee Surely if any thing could have stopped the hand of divine justice then Christ might have done it but God would not nor did not abate our Saviour one drop of his indignation but God inflicts it all and Christ suffers â— all behold therefore if thus bee not a just God heare and feare all you that heare the good word of the Lord this day you that thinke that Christ is made all of mercy it is a God of your owne imagination and your owne devising it is not that God which is the Lord of heaven and earth it is not the God of hoâ—sts the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ Oh say poore ignorant people he is a very mercifull God and full of compassion it is true hee is mercifull indeed but know this also to thy terrour that God is strict and precisely righteous you thinke to put off God with a few good words and lazy wishes and with a Lord have mercy upon us and if you can have but an houres time before your death to cry God mercy oh their you thinke all shall be well and God will goe away with anything and because you suffer a little punishments and afflictions in this life therefore you thinke to bee freed from them altogether hereafter no no know thou shalt not carry it away so indeed thou hast troubles and afflictions here but thou shalt have eternitie of torments for ever in the life to come if thou still continuest to bee a sinfull wretch and an unbeleeve there is no way with thee but to beare thy owne plagues and miseries hereafter when thou seest the Sonne of God himselfe corrected dost thou thinke to goe free if God would not bare oils Saviour any thing of it dost thou thinke he will abate thee any thing againe our Saviour had our sins onely imputed to him but thy sins thou hast committed them thy selfe and canst thou thinke to escape that are proud and stubborne and malicious and liest and livest be thy sins and dost wallow in them and allow of thy selfe in the commission of them no surely God will not spare any blasphemer nor unclean wretch nor profane person under heaven if he did not spare his owne Son he will not spare thee but hee will inflict upon thee the sharpest punishments that can bee imagined therefore now if God bee so severe against sinne then let your affections be answerable thereunto doe you pitie none that are sinfull not onely slaves but in a childe a son a husband let us labour to get a hearefull of hatred against sin in any of these nay though shee were the wife of thy bosome or thy childe or thy deere friend if thou seest sin in them bee sure to punish it especially you that are in places of authoritie into whose hands God hath committed the sword of the Magistracie for the execution of justice You that are Gods vice-gerents upon earth doe you as God himselfe hath done and walke in his way and so bee blessed in whatsoever you doe I said ye are Gods saith David every Magistrate every Justice in the countrie and every Master of a family ye are Gods that is ye have the Image of God put into you and therefore say thou with thy selfe in this manner would God suffer a swearer or a blasphemer or a prophane person or a drunkard or an adulterer to goe unpunished and would God suffer a prophaner of his Sabbath and would not reforme him then whatsoever is amisse in thy owne soule or in thy wife or childe or servant if it be in thy place punish if
threatnings of God can take no hold upon them but though they are so rebellious here yet everlasting condemnation shall take hold of them and shall have power over them hereafter and will drag their soules and bodies downe to hell and there they shall suffer intolerably and incomprehensibly and then hell and condemnation shall tell them thus much seeing the commands of God could take no hold upon you therefore we will the mercies of God could not perswade with you but the judgements of God shall prevaile against you What becomes of all the great and mighty men of the world where is Pharaoh and Nimrod and the rest of them the wrath of God hath throwne them upon their backs in hell but you that are true beleevers the second death shall have no power over you though wrath and condemnation seeme to lay hold upon you yet there is no power in them to condemne you because if Christ hath taken away the paines of the second death then it shall never oppresse such as belong to the Lord Jesus Christ therefore goe your way comforted there is nothing that shall ever prevaile against you Object Oh but saith the soule could I see Heaven gates set open if the way were open and plaine that I might see the way and walke in it then I could be comforted but what I in heaven the Angels are all holy and God is a holy God and a pure redeemer and all things there are pure and undefiled can such a wretch as I am come to heaven certainly the Saints will goe out of heaven if I come there Answer No the blood of Christ will doe all this for you and it will make way for thee into heaven as Hebr. 10.19 20. Seeing therefore brethren that by the blood of Iesus we may most boldly enter into the holy places by the new and the living way which hee hath prepared for us through the vaile which is his flesh marke two things in that place you may have boldnesse you feare now that your sinnes will not bee pardoned and that God the Father will not accept of you well be not proud and sawcie but take the blood of Christ along with you and goe on boldly and chearfully All you that have an interest in the great worke of God either for brokennesse of heart or vocation to call you to rely upon the Lord Jesus Christ bee thou a sinner If thou hast faith I speake not of the measure of faith but hast thou faith then why sittest thou here drooping Go you on cheerily and undauntedly and goe with comfort to everlasting happinesse every thing gives you comfort had you but eyes to see it God and men Heaven and earth sinne justice hell and condemnation gives you all comfort If you looke up to justice that saith you poore beleeving creatures goe your way comforted I am setisfied to the full If you looke to hell and death and condemnation they say be comforted you poore beleeving soules we have no power over you the Lord Iesus Christ hath conquered us and if you looke to your owne sinnes they tell you thus much and say be for ever comforted for wee have pleaded against you but wee have lost the cause If you looke up to heaven there you may see glory and happinesse and blessednesse ready to entertaine every beleeving soule and they all call after you and say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you therefore goe away cheerily and get you to heaven and when you come there be discomforted if you can if Christ and God and Heaven and all call you and say come all hither you beleeving soules then lift up your heads with joy and draw the waters of comfort and consolation from this truth onely remember this here when you finde your sins roaring upon you and telling your Father that you have sinned and justice cries and hell threatens then take the blood of Christ and see before your eyes all that ever Christ hath suffered and see justice fully satisfied and heare the blood of Christ speaking as well as the clamours of sinne it is the misery that we are in that we can here the bawlings of Satan and of corruption crying and saying what you salvation and yet have these and these corruptions we heare these and we hearken not to the other the blood of Christ hath pardoned all and will cleanse all Oh heare that voyce and you shall see and heare that it speakes admirable things this is the second use Vse 3 Thirdly hath Christ done all this then stand amazed at that endlesse and boundlesse love of the Lord Jesus Christ but onely that the Scripture cannot lie and God hath said which is faithfull and true and cannot be deceived and is infinite in all his workes otherwise man that is sensible of his sins and wants could not beleeve it but yet Christ hath done it and it is worth the while to weigh it and to consider of it in a holy admiration although wee are not able to walke in any measure answerable thereto had our Saviour only sent his creatures to serve us and had we onely had some Prophets to advise us in the way to Heaven or had hee onely sent his holy Angels from his chamber of presence to attend upon us and minister to us it had beene a great deale of mercy or had Christ come downe from the heavens to visit us It had beene a peculiar favour that a King will not onely send to the Prison but goe himselfe to the lungeon and aske saying is such a man here a man would thinke himselfe strangely honoured and the world would wonder at it and say the King himselfe came to the prison to day to see such a man certainly he loves him dearly or had Christ himselfe come onely and wept over us and said Oh that you had never sinned and oh that you had more considered of my goodnesse and the excellency of happinesse oh that you had never sinned this had beene marvellous mercy but that Christ himselfe should come and strive with us in mercy and patience and we slight it and not onely to provide the comforts of this life but the means of a better life and to give us peculiar blessings nay that the Lord Jesus should be so fond of a company of rebels and hell-hounds that he thinkes nothing good enough for them hee hath prepared heaven for them and he gives them the comforts of the earth for their use too nay he hath given them his blood and his life and all and yet you are not at the highest what doe you talke of life hee was not onely content to part with life but hee was content to part with the sense and sweetnesse of Gods love which is a thousand times better than life it selfe as David saith The loving kindnesse of God is better than life it selfe He was content to be accused that we might be blessed he was content