to be pityed But if all be dark about and the darkest of all Clouds on the amiable Face of God this is the extremity our Lord was in Yet he prayed and in his Agony prayed yet more fervently Deserted Believers take comfort in a Deserted Saviour His Desertion was Penal yours but Medicinal though it be better Physick it is of the great Physician 's Prescription and he can and will bless it and make you bless him both for the Physick and the Cure 3. Christ had Temptation as an Errand to his Father In all points tempted like as we are yet without sin ver 15. O that Christians would learn to behave under Temptation in some measure aâ— Christ did Temptation to Christ was â— far other thing than it is to us Temptation is bad to us because of the danger of it therefore he bids us Watch and pray that we enter not into Temptation Matth. 26.42 when he was in the depth of his Agony But Temptation to Christ was a meer Affliction There were never but two sinless Men in the World the first and second Adam Satan came to both When he came to the first Adam he found nothing of his own in him but he quickly got somewhat put in him and left it with him and in him and all his Posterity When he came to the second Adam he found nothing in him and could put nothing in him by Temptation John 14.30 The holier a Saint be and the more gross the sin be he is tempted to and the more hatred he have of the Sin the greater is his trouble in and by the Temptation What Affliction then must it have been to Christ to be so tempted as he was Matth. 4. 4. Our Lord had the charge and burden of sin on his Soul not upon his Conscience The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all Isa 53.6 And was not that a mighty Load Sense of Sin is the greatest discouragement to Believers But never was there a Man out of Hell or in it that had such a load of sin on him as Christ had His own self bare our sins in his own body on the Tree 1 Pet. 2.24 Law and Justice charged Christ severely and exacted more of him than ever they did of any other Person None but Christ was made sin 2 Cor. 5.21 Men are Sinners by nature and increase their sinfulness by their Life and an inexhaustible Fountain of sin is in their Heart Eccles 9.3 But none of them is or can be made Sin He only that knew no sin was made sin And because he was made sin for us he was also made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 The Law curseth the Sinner but cannot make a Sinner a Curse for others It can and doth make him accursed and a Curse for himself Here is Heaven's Art All the Righteousness we are made flows from Christ's being made sin for us All the Blessing we get springs out of Christ's being made a Curse for us Believers learn where to seek and find true Righteousness and the true Blessing In vain are they sought any where but in Christ and in his being thus made Sin and a Curse for us The Lord Jehovah charged Christ with the Debt of his People's Sins and he could not deny the Debt though he contracted none of it yet he undertook as Surety to answer for it and to discharge and pay it Therefore the Law and Justice exacted it of him abated him nothing Because the Law will have Blood and Life for Sin Christ offers and gives his Our Lord Jesus had no Challenges in nor Burden upon his Conscience yet he had a heavy Burden upon his Soul therefore he had a troubled Soul John 12.27 though a quiet Conscience For trouble of Conscience properly flows from the sight and Sense of committed Sin but Christ's trouble of Soul was from the Sense of Wrath for the charged and imputed Sins of others Object But may a poor Believer say Christ knew not what a Body of sin and death was he knew not what a bad Heart is and these I feel and am discouraged by Answ Christ did not know these things indeed by feeling and experience as you do but he knew them better than you do or can 1. Christ knew them by the Wrath due to them He that paid the Debt knew best the Debt that was contracted though he himself did not contract it He knew how dear the Expiation was for the Sin of your Heart and Nature 2. Christ knew it by Temptation Temptation brought Sin as near to Christ as it was possible it could be brought to a sinless Man Some Saints know some Sins only this way There are several Acts of Wickedness that the Lord restrains his People from before their Conversion sometimes and usually after it Those Sins they know not by the committing of them nor it may be by any special Inclination to them yet they may know them to be dreadful Evils by an external Temptation to them and by the sight of their Sin and Misery that wallow in them 2. As our Lord Jesus Christ had many Errands to the Throne of Grace so he did ply that Throne Our Saviour was a praying Saviour He spent whole Nights in Prayer to God his Father As he was so should we be in the World 1 John 4.17 Are we afflicted and should we pray So afflicted Jesus prays Is our Soul troubled and do we pray So Christ did John 12.27 Are we deserted and pray So did our Lord. But here is a depth too deep for us to wade in how our elder Brother how God's own Son in Man's Nature did plead at the Throne of Grace This Throne he ply'd was not the same we come to To us he sits on the Throne himself and therefore it is a Throne of Grace to us We approach to God in Christ and in Christ's Name Christ came in his own Name and needed no Mediator We find he came to his Father frequently earnestly and confidently The Church of Christ owe him eternal Praifes for that Prayer John 17. which is only properly Christ's Prayer That in Matth. 6.9 is a pattern of our Prayer taught us by Christ but this is the Prayer made by Christ and therefore truly the Lord's Prayer Of Christ's praying the Apostle speaks Heb. 5.7 Who in the days of his Flesh when he had offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared This is a great Word When a poor Believer is hanging over Hell and a Spirit of Prayer working in him how mightily doth he cry to be saved from that Death O let me not fall in if ever thou hadst Mercy on a sinking Soul save me But never did a distressed Believer cry so mightily to be saved from Hell as Christ did to be saved from death But that death Christ prayed against was another sort of death than we know or
us Aaron and his Successors in the Office of High Priest were appointed to offer the great Sacrifice of yearly Attonement at the Altar and with the Blood thereof to enter into the Holy of Holies and to sprinkle the Mercy-Seat their Throne of Grace with that Blood Lev. 16.14 Our Lord Jesus the Anti-type offered the Sacrifice of himself in his death and in and with the virtue of that Sacrifice he entred Heaven to sprinkle the highest Altar therewith It is but a fond Popish fancy to think that there do remain visible Marks and Signatures of his humbled State on the glorified body of our Lord Jesus that is indeed to know Christ after the Flesh in a bad sense 2 Cor. 5.16 But his entring with his own blood is spiritually to be understood that Christ's Appearance in Heaven is to bring up a Memorial continually before God of the virtue and savour of that Sacrifice he offered without the Gates of Jerusalem Eph. 5.2 Christ loved us and hath given himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour This savour never spends or wears out The Blood of Jesus in the Virtue of it in the Merit of it and in the Power of it is as fresh this day as in the day it was shed on the Cross He is still the â—ew-slain way to the holiest of all Heb. 10.20 â—s fresh and fragrant as ever If Men by their â—nbelief count it old or stale and to have lost â—ts savour and virtue to themselves and if they will seek for somewhat else to procure them â—cceptance in Heaven let them try and peâ—ish for none can help them that reject Christ â—ut our Lord presents nothing for the Salvation of his Body the Church but his own Blood and nothing else is accepted in Heaven for this End but that precious Blood And all they to whose Consciences this Blood is applyed and who come unto it and feel its virtue and power will abhor all vain and dangerous mixtures of any thing with this Sovereign Balsom It is always savoury in Heaven and it is always savoury to all them that are in the right way to Heaven Our Lord in his Intercession fills Heaven with the Almighty and Eternal savour of his Blood and Heaven is filled with the Praises of it and of the shedder of it Rev. 5.9,12 If its savour do not fill the parts of the Earth where it is preached it is because Men have lost or rather never had the spiritual sense that only can take in this savour and not because this Blood is impaired in its virtue But this is the sin and misery of this condemned World that what is most savoury in Heaven is least savoured on Earth and what is most sought after prized and doted on in Earth is vanity and abomination in Heaven Luke 16.15 3. In Christ's Intercession there is his knowledge of and sympathy with the Ails and Distresses of his people This the Apostle takes notice of in ver 15. His knowledge of their Distresses we can more easily account for than for his Sympathy His Omniscience as God we believe Peter sweetly owned it John 21.15,16,17 O that Christ would with power ask the same Question at all of you and that you could give the same Answer Christ's Question is lovest thou me more than these Not long since thou said'st so what saist thou now Peter's Answer is Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee And on the repeating of the Question Peter gives the same Answer ver 16. When Christ a third time ask'd the same Question Peter was grieved ver 17. and answers thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee As if he said I dare not compare my Love to thee with that of others to thee thou hast reason to question my love to thee because of my late woful denyal of thee but yet I dare call thee to Witness who knowest all things that I do love thee Though all my Brethren love thee better than I do or can though I be more unworthy than any to be loved by thee yet I am sure I love thee If the love of Christ were as a hot Fire within and its Coals were casting out a vehement Flame as Song 8.6 Believers would more often call Christ by that sweet Name sweet to us to speak and sweet to him to hear O thou whom my Soul loveth Song 1.7 Miserable Souls are they who love not Christ And dull unobservant people are they that know not what or whom their Souls love Is the love of Christ a meer Notion Is it not a most sensible holy and spiritual Passion or rather a heavenly Grace Can Men love Christ and not feel it Should they feel it and not avow it Is there any thing we should be ashamed of in the love of Christ but the shameful smalness of it That our highest and hottest love is so unsutable a Return to his incomparable Loveliness and his Wonderful Love to us and the dear Demonstrations of it All ye that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity look on him and love him more love him with all your Souls and blush with shame that you love him no better Blow the coals of Love by Faith and let the Flame mount up to Heaven and ascend ye in the Flame of the Altar as Manoah's Angel did Judg. 13.20 You that doubt of your Love to Christ go to him fall down before him answer Peter's Question according to the true sense of your Souls and it will be Lord thou knowest that I love thee Love Christ and ye will quickly feel ye love him A sight of Christ will beget Love and Love will quickly speak for it self 2 Cor. 5.14,15 But for Christ's Sympathy with his people this is harder to conceave than his knowledge of their Distresses It is a Sympathy different from what he had in the days of his own Infirmity it is as tender but not disturbing as real but not afflicting It is inconsistent with his glorifieâ— State to have any trouble His Sympathy it self is to be believed the manner how it acts is unsearchable Heb. 2.17 In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God Heb. 4.15 He is touched with the feeling of our Infirmities and was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin About this deep point of Christ's Sympathy we may soberly conceave 1. Our Lord's Remembrance of his own Infirmities Temptations and Afflictions in the days of his Flesh This is plain and certain 2. His sure and distinct particular Knowledge and Remembrance of his people and of all that concerns them within and without 3. His Interest in them and Care of them and Concern for them as his Members 4. His Power and Wisdom as their Head to send down vital Influences upon them as their Case requires Eph. 4.16 Col. 2.19 Lastly Christ's
present supplies of grace can preserve him that is a season of special need of Grace and in the prospect of or in such Seasons Christians should ply the Throne of Grace Of such times of Need I would speak to six of them 1. The time of Temptation 2. Of a Spiritual decay 3. Of High Enjoyments and Attainments 4. Of Affliction 5. Of Special Duty and Service 6. Of Dying These are all Seasons and Times of special need of God's Grace And how such render Christians needy of Grace and how helpful his Grace is in such Times is all I mind to say on this Scripture 1. Times of need is the time of Temptation An hour of Temptation Rev. 3.10 A time of Temptation Luke 8.13 A day of Temptation Psal 95.8 But because Temptation is of large signification and of sundry sorts and from various Quarters I shall confine my self to that sort that is from Satan And on this Head would confine my self to these three 1. What Temptation is 2. What need of Grace to the Tempted 3. How Grace helps in time of Temptation 1. What is Temptation As we are concerned in it three things are in a Temptation An outward Object the occasion inward Corruption that is as fuel for the Temptation and Satan's motion to sin and his working on these two to hatch Sin He is but twice called the Tempter first when he came to Christ Matth. 4.3 And again when he comes to Christians 1 Thess 3.5 These three are not necessarily in all Temptations In his tempting the first and second Adam there was only an outward Object and a Motion of Satan But in all Men besides these three are in all Temptations And the Spirit of God in the Word gives the name of Temptation to all of them 1 Tim. 6.9 They that will be rich fall into temptation Few either of the poor or of the rich believe this Jam. 1.14,15 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Then when lust hath conceaved it bringeth forth Sin and Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Hence the difficulty is great in discovering Satan's hand in tempting because there is inward Corruption in Men that acts and works of it self as well as it is fit to be acted upon by Satan If Temptation from Satan came to a sinless Man the Tempter might be easily known but when it comes to a sinner who hath an active Principle of Corruption in him that prompts him to the fame sin that the Tempter tempts unto it becomes very hard to a Man to say This motion is of the Devil and this is of my own corrupt heart And here seldom doth the Devil get his due some blame the Devil more than he deserves and excuse themselves more than they should And some excuse the Devil and blame themselves more than they ought What shall we do here How shall we know when Temptation riseth from Corruption within or from the Devil without There is no very great need to know it exactly as in some Cases it is very hard to know it Temptation is so natural to us that if the Devil be the first Mover it seizeth so quickly on our corrupt Heart that we may justly take the blame to our selves The Workings of the Spirit of God on the new creature and of the Spirit of Satan on the old Man are great Mysteries It is far wiser work to set about resâ—…ing of our spiritual Enemies than to perplex out selves with Questions about their Order Therefore 2. What need is there of the grace of God to help the tempted This is plain Every one that is in this Case knows his great need of grace Yet to make them that are not in it pity them that are and to direct them that are in it to entertain a deeper sense of their need of God's grace I would show how needy a Person under Temptation is of the helping grace of God This appears in these 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ commands us to pray against Temptation He doth not so command us to pray against Affliction In that Pattern of Prayer Matth. 6.9,13 the Words whereof are better known than the deep sense and meaning of the Words is understood there are but two Petitions for spiritual Blessings for our selves one is for the pardon of sin that relates to the State of our Persons the other is for Sanctification and Preservation and that is expressed thus Lead us not into Temptation Sanctification is prayed for in praying against Temptation And much of Sanctification is acted in making such a Prayer But may not a Man enter into Temptation and come well out of it again Yes But in that case more thanks is due to the Lord's grace and mercy than to his own good Conduct Christ would have you to be afraid of Temptation and to pray against it Matth. 26.41 Watch and pray that ye enter not into Temptation Whatever Temptation a man rusheth confidently upon he usually falls by In Temptation no Believer is safe but the self-diffident and fearful and fear of Temptation acts in praying against it Peter failed in his fearlesness his going to the High-priests Hall after the warning his Master gave him was rushing on a Temptation and so came on it It must therefore be a Case wherein one is very needy of grace to help that Christ bids us pray against 2. We find the whole Armour of God is provided and prepared on purpose for the case of Temptation Eph. 6.10,13 The Apostle is sounding the Alarm of War to all Christians he shews them where their strength lyes ver 10. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might He shews them their Weapons of War v. 10 to v. 19. and tells them how to use them Their Armour is that of God No Armour but that that is from Heaven is proof against the Batteries and Assaults of Hell How doth the Devil laugh at despise and pierce thorough that Soul whose Armour is forged and framed on Earth This Armour of God the Christian must put on and take to himself it 's not enough that he know it and have it lying by him it is no Armour to him till it be put on by him And why such Armour and so put on ver 12. Because of such dreadful Enemies as we have to deal with For we wrestle not against flesh and blood Enemies formidable and dangerous sufficiently against them that have no more but flesh and blood to oppose them with but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places What but the whole Armour of God can secure a poor Believer from all the Armies of Hell 3. Our blessed Lord Jesus himself was tempted that he might succour them that are tempted Heb. 2.18 There are several States and Conditions that Believers are in that Christ himself was never in We are oft sick and weak in Body Christ
the Wilderness and in the Temple of Solomon in Canaan But both Aron and his Successors and the Tabernacle and Temple were but Types and Shadows of Jesus Christ in his Person and Office There was the Holiest of all into which the High-Priest went alone and only once a year in this was the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat and Cherubims covering it whence these common expressions in the Old Testament of Gods dwelling between the Cherubims and of believers trusting in the shadow of his wings Now the holiest of all was their Type of Heaven and the Ark Cherubims Mercy-Seat were but all shadows as the Apostle calls them heb 10.1 of our Lord Jesus Christ and of that peace with God and access to God that he hath wrought out for men More particularly that most sacred of all things in the Jewish Old Testament-worship that was called the Mercy-Seat the Apostle calls a Throne of Grace thereby teaching us that whatever of Divine Grace was revealed and tendred to or perceived and received by the faith of the Old Testament Believers in their right use of these sacred old Institutions of God to his Church the same with great advantage Believers under the New Testament have in Jesus Christ the Body Antitype and substance of them We find 3 most solemn Things in the Old Testament in which the Mercy-Seat the Type of the Throne of Grace in the New Testament was applyed unto 1. The most solemn approach was made unto God in the High-priests going in once a year to the holiest of all where the Mercy-Seat was This was made not by the people in their own persons nor by any ordinary Levite who were priviledged with a greater nearness to God then the people Numb 16.9 Nor by any of the inferior Priests of the House of Aaron to which family the Office of Priesthood was by divine appointment confined nor by the High-priest himself but only once a year at a determinate time and with many appointed Ceremonies of preparation and performance Some tell us of a custom in their Worship that Musick by Singing and Instruments was used by the people to express their Joy and Praise when the High-priest returned safe out from that Sacred and Awful place the Holy of Holies 2. The most solemn attonment for the sins of Israel was made at the Mercy-Seat This was done in that yearly entrance of the High-priests into the Holiest of all Lev. 16.12,13 especially ver 14. And he Aaron the first of that Order of Priests shall take of the blood of the Bullock and sprinkle it with his finger on the Mercy-seat castward and before the Mercy-seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times ver 30. On that day shall the Priest make an attonement for you to cleanse you that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. 3. The most solemn answers were given by God to their High-priest Exod. 25.17,22 where we have the Institution of the Mercy-seat and the form of it And there saith the Lord will I meet with thee and will I commune with thee And again Exod. 30.6 What the Old Testament Vrim and Thummim was and what their Shechinah was neither Jew now nor Christian know though they guess Only that they were special manifestations of the grace and favour and mind of God which expired with and some of them its thought before the end of that ministration But all these three Glories and Dignities and advantages of their Mercy-seat are all to be found in Christ Jesus who represents his people before God and presents them to him who hath made the perfect attonment for all his Israel and who declares to his Church all the saving will of God which he heard and received of his Father The Apostle here in this Epistle and in this Text would have all Belivers in Christ to know that the New Testament Throne of Grace is the same in substance with and with great advantage above the Old Testament Mercy-seat See Heb. 9.4 8. The Truth I would speak to is this That God in the Gospel sits on a Throne of Grace and from it calls and invites sinners to come unto him Let us come to the Throne of Grace certainly means Let us now come to God sitting on a Throne of Grace Let us take both direction and encouragement to come to God because he is on a Throne of Grace In handling of this point of Doctrine I would shew Three things 1. What this Throne of Grace is and how distinguished from other Thrones of God spoke of in the word 2. Why it is so called a Throne and a Throne of Grace 3. What coming to this Throne is 1. What is this Throne of Grace and how distinguished from other Thrones of God spoke of in the Word These other I would first name to prevent mistakes 1. We find a Throne of Glory much spoke of a Throne of the Essential Incomprehesible Glory of God This no man can approach to Of this the Apostle speaks 1 Tim. 6.16 He dwelleth in light that no man can approach to whom no man hath seen nor can see Marvellous is this Light We find the more light there be in or about a person or thing the more easily and clearly it is perceived As the Sun is such a glorious Body that though it be at a vast distance from the earth we dwell on we yet can take it up with our eyes immediately assoon as it shines we can see it because of its light It is its own light and nothing else that doth or can discover it If the Sun did withdraw its own light all the eyes of men and all the artificial Fire and Light men can make would never help us to find it out But such is the Majesty of God that he is clothed with it Psal 93.1 Men are dazled and confounded by a little Ray of his Glory With God is terrible Majesty Job 37.22 This is not the Throne we are called to come unto They are but triflers in Religion that know not in their Experience how overwhelming the Views and Thoughts of Gods Majesty and Glory are when he is not seen as on a Throne of Grace I remembred God and was troubled saith one Saint Psal 77.3 I am troubled at his presence when I consider I am afraid of him saith another Job 23.15 No wonder Manoah said unto his Wife we shall surely die because we have seen God Judg. 13.22 When a view of the Heavenly Glory of Jesus Christ makes John who was wont to lean on his bosom in his humbled State to fall down at his feet as dead Rev. 1.17 2. There is a Throne of Gods Government of the World oft spoke of Psal 9.4,7 On this Throne God fits and rules all things at his pleasure and in Infinite Wisdom This Throne is to be believingly regarded by us but it is not the Throne of Grace that sinners are called to come unto for
had said I am sure to be heard for I pray for them that are partakers of thine everlasting Love They are thine by Election and giving to me they are mine by receaving and redeeming of them We are bid give diligence to make our Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 They are sure in themselves and sure to God but we should make them sure to our selves and many Christians smart sadly by neglecting this Diligence 2. The gift of Christ for us is a great priviledge that gives boldness at the throne of grace So the Apostle argues Ro. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all you may see who this all are ver 28 29 30. How shall he not with him freely give us all things As if he said it is a small thing to God to give us all other things when he hath given his Son We receave now many Blessings blessed be the giver we have greater things in the Promise than we yet receave or can yet receave but shall surely receave in his time yet all we get and shall to Eternity receave is far less than the gift of Christ. It is like our Lord had respect to this in that Word to the Woman of Samaria John 4.10 If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee give me to drink thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee living water If she had known Christ as the Well of Salvation to Sinners she would have employed him and should have been accepted of him But here many Christians stick they doubt not but Christ was given for his Church and People but they know not how to apply this to themselves If I knew say many that Christ was given for me I would then come boldly to the throne of grace and ask any thing confidently I answer None can know that Christ was given for them till they come unto him And all that come to him may know that he was given for them and should believe it He was given by the Will of the Father and his own for his Elect. This is a Secret hid with God He comes to Men in the Gospel offering himself and all his Purchase and Fulness to all that hear of it He that hath his Heart drawn forth to like this Bargain and accepts by Faith of the Saviour and his great Salvation hath possession thereof immediately and by that may come to know that it was designed for him in God's purpose of Love So Paul Gal. 1.14,15,16 He was one of the Holiest and most Religious Jews in their Church and yet was at the same time one of the most wicked young Men in all the Country a very Hypocrite a proud self Justiciary and a bloody Persecutor of Christ and his Church Yet of this wicked Creature it is here said That God had separated him from his Mother's Womb and Acts 9.15 He is a chosen Vessel unto me I will pour out of my grace on him and will do much for him and by him When did all this break out When he called me by his Grace and revealed his Son in me Then he can say Gal. 2.20 He loved me and gave himself for me And again 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sirners All say so but had he any mind of thee and hast thou any share in his coming to save Sinners Yes saith he of whom I am chief He came to save me the chief of Sinners Any Sinner may come after me and expect Mercy at Christs hand when Paul hath sped so well ver 16. He hath made me a Pattern of his Mercy for the encouragement of all Sinners that have a mind for a good turn from Jesus Christ 3. The Priviledge of Actual Reconciliation and of being brought into a State of Grace is a ground of Boldness in coming to the throne of grace Rom. 5.9,10 where the Apostle having shewn God's Love in giving Christ to the death for us ver 8. he adds the Blessings that flow from this Gift Justification by his blood and therefore much more Salvation from Wrath through him ver 9. And Reconciliation to God by his death and therefore much more Salvation by his life ver 10. The Improvement he makes thereof is in ver 11. And not only so but we also joy in God the Original is we glory and boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now receaved the Attonement A State of grace is a State of boldness all that are in it should and all that know they are in it will use boldness of Faith at this throne of grace Rom. 5.1 to ver 6. 6. The Experiences of Believers are a great ground of boldness Experience works Hope Rom. 5.4 The Experience of others as well as our own are of great use herein Sometimes we find David improving the Experience of others for the strengthning his own Faith sometimes he offers his own Experience for the comfort of others Psal 66.16 Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my Soul Because David was in distress of Conscience and got Peace and Pardon Psal 32.1,6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found Psal 119.74 They that fear thee will be glad when they see me because I have hoped in thy word There is no Christian that hath not Experience As he hath a Soul that needs much to be done for it so the Lord doth much for all he saves And because the Lord dealeth variously with his People therefore there is much difference in their Experiences Yet because all Believers are Members of the same Body and receave all from the same Head Jesus Christ there is some Skill and Capacity in every Christian to understand and to be profited by the Experience of any Christian Hence it is that communicating of Experiences is a Christian Duty and a good part of the Communion of Saints But there is much Christian Prudence requisite in the discharge of it Let no Man boast of a false gift and pretend to that he hath no sense of Nor talk vainly and proudly of what God hath done for him All true Experiences are Acts of Grace from God felt on the Soul And Grace is humbling 1 Cor. 4.7 For who maketh thee to differ from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receave Now if thou didst receave it why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not receaved it Three Questions confounding the Pride of Men and Christians Of these Experiences that should give boldness in coming to the throne of grace I shall name three 1 The Experience of the first visit of Grace is a good ground of Confidence in asking any blessing of God Can you remember when you were dead in sin and had no thought
and the Question then is Is this or that or the other Action pleasing or displeasing to God And this is to be determined by the light of Conscience acting according to God's Holy Law For God is the only Lord of Conscience and his Will the only Rale and Law of Conscience Conscience therefore may be three ways defiled 1. By the unpardoned Guilt of a natural State as it is in all Unbelievers Nothing can purge the Conscience but the Blood of Christ Heb. 9.14 An Unbeliever doth not apply to it nor apply it to himself and God applys it to none but by Faith Therefore all such Unbelievers have all the loathsome filth of their natural State lying on their Consciences defiling it The answer of a good Conscience towards God is by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 3.21 All Unbelievers Consciences can speak nothing towards God by any thing Christ hath done or suffered for they know him not and are not in him They would give an Answer or make their Plea from their good Works and honest Meanings but all such answers and pleas are rejected by God in his judging of a Man's State For all God's Judgment of Mens State proceeds on these two in Christ or out of Christ And as it is with them with respect to one or other of these two so do Men stand or fall before God's Judgment whatever the Judgment of their Consciences be 2. Conscience is defiled by Sinful Actions known to be such Now if these be loved and delighted in they do justly marr Confidence neither can any Man in this Case draw near to God but with the Mouth and hypocritically Isa 2.9,13 This is a Frame not to be found in a Believer He may be guilty of known Sin but it is not delighted in To this David's Words refer Psal 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me It is not If there be iniquity in my heart for who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my Sin Prov. 20.9 It is not If I see iniquity in my heart For where there is least sin it is best seen Paul saw enough Rom. 7.23,24,25 and groaned under it and yet blesseth God through Jesus Christ for the hope of Victory But it is only If I regard iniquity in my heart if I look kindly on it God will not hear me and indeed the Man in this Case cannot pray It is as impossible that a person approving and loving Sin can make a real approach to God as it is for a Man to depart from and approach to one at the same time and with the same motion 3. The Conscience is defiled by doubtful practice Of this the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 8.7 And their conscience being weak is defiled To this belongs also the Words in Rom. 14.5 Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind and ver 22 23. Whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin In deliberate Actions especially of Worship to God to act without a clear Warrant from the Word of God defileth the Conscience 2. Sin disturbs the Conscience And Conscience is disturbed by Sin two ways 1. When the evil and filth of Sin is seen a man loaths himself therefore No defilement on the Conscience disturbs it till it be seen Men like Swine wallow in the puddle and see no filth therein till God open the Eyes of their Consciences 2. When the danger of sin is seen and the Wrath it deserves is perceaved then perplexing Fears and sensible Sorrow works in the Soul Now what is the course such a poor Creature should take The Sin is committed the Guilt is contracted the Conscience is defiled the Defilement is seen Disturbance and Trouble is felt in the Conscience What should such a sick Soul do Will any say to him wash thy self where thou canst and cast away the burthen of thy sin the best way thou canst and then come to the throne of Grace This would be strange Gospel indeed We know no other course a Man should take in this Case but coming to the Throne of Grace to have the Conscience sprinkled with the Blood of Christ the only Cordial for a disturbed Conscience and the only Purger of a defiled Conscience Therefore Peter was quite out in his Prayer he prayed backward when he said Depart from me for I am a sinful man O Lord Luke 5.8 Were ever worse Words uttered at the Knees of Jesus Christ He had said better if he had prayed Lord come near to me and abide with me and let me ever abide with thee for I am a sinful Man Where can a sinful Man be better than with the Saviour of Sinners But Peter's Prayer is the natural Prayer of every Man that seeth his Sinfulness and is ignorant of Jesus Christ The Publican understood Prayer and plyed it better Luke 18.13 when he said God be merciful to me a Sinner I feel my sinfulness I see thy Mercy Lord let them meet and thy Mercy shall be glorified and I saved Whoever therefore are distressed with the guilt of Sin in their Consciences or with the power of it in their Hearts and Lives must seek all their relief at this Throne of Grace It is only the power of that Grace revealed and dispensed at this Throne of Grace that is too hard for Sin and all its powers And for any Man to think to subdue Sin except by the power of this Grace or to think that he shall have this powerful Grace without coming for it to the Throne of Grace is to dream to his own destruction Object 2. I am in the dark about my Interest in God and Christ and therefore I cannot come boldly to this Throne If I did know that God was at peace with me and I reconciled to him and justified then I might come boldly Answ 1. Whose fault is it that thy Interest in Christ is not put out of question Were Christians more in self-examination more close in walking with God and if they had more near Communion with God and were more in acting of Faith this shameful darkness and doubting would quickly vanish It is a thing to be heavily bewailed that many Christians have lived twenty or forty years since Christ called them by his Grace yet doubting is their life they doubted when they began they go on doubting and many die doubting when the blame is justly to be laid on themselves There is an assurance of Faith that is a Duty as well as a Blessing Heb. 10.22 And were it more minded as a Duty it would be more often attained as a Mercy That assurance of Faith I press you to have stands in firm and strong Believing The faithful Promise of Christ in the Gospel is the Foundation of it And the Ground will bear all the weight we can lay on it This Assurance is not only a Blessing that comes down from Heaven but it may by his blessing of Means spring up out of the
can fully apprehend Christ prayed with great servency and with great confidence We rarely have them join'd in our Prayers If we have confidence of a good issue we are apt to grow cold in asking Christ knew the blessed issue of all his distress and believed it confidently Isa 50.7,8,9 Yet prayed earnestly He was heard and knew it John 11.41,42 Father I thank thee that thou hast heard me And I know that thou hearest me always Christians take encouragement and direction to pray and how to pray by Christ's Practice when he was on Earth 4. Let us consider Christ's Death for encouraging us to confidence in coming to the throne of grace This is the main ground of boldness in coming Heb. 10.10 Having boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus There is precious Blood must be shed or we cannot enter we must see it by Faith or we dare not venture We must come to the Blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 We dare not step one step into God's awful Presence unless we see the way marked consecrated and sprinkled with the Mediator's Blood How shall the Unholiest of Sinners venture to come into the Holiest of all God's Presence Yes faith the Holy Ghost such may by the Blood of Jesus Let us therefore consider what this Blood of Christ doth and speaks in order to our boldness in approaching to the throne of grace 1. This Blood satisfies Justice and answers all the Claims and Charges of the Law against us What marrs boldness like fears of a standing Controversie betwixt Heaven and us God is Holy we are vile Sinners God's Law is strict we have sinfully broke it and deserve Hell most justly No answer can be given but by this Blood What would the Law have but Christ gave Would the Law have a sinless Man to answer it as it was first given to sinless Adam Lo I come saith our Lord Jesus without all Sin a Man against whom for himself the Law hath no Charge or Challenge Would the Law have perfect sinless Obedience Christ did perform it Must the Law have Life and Blood for every breach of it Christ never broke the Law but the Burden of Millions of Breakers and Breaches of it lay on him and his Blood was shed for them And thereby he fulfilled the Law put away-sin by the sacrifice of himself Heb. 9.26 finished the transgression made an end of sin made reconciliation for iniquity brought in everlasting Righteousness sealed up the vision and prophecy and anointed the most Holy Dan. 9.24 You can never have boldness at the throne on grace unless by Faith you apply this Blood Christ is set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his blood Rom. 3.25 The Propitiation is in his Blood Faith in it makes it our Propitiation 2. This Blood as it is satisfying Blood so it is purchasing Blood It is both an Attonement and Satisfaction and it is a Price It is Redeeming Blood for Persons and Purchasing Blood for Blessings All the Blessings we come to the throne of grace for are all bought by this Blood So that we may say that though we have nothing and deserve nothing yet when we ask all things we ask nothing but what is well and truly paid for by our Lord Jesus 3. All the Blessings purchased and bought by Christ's Blood are bequeathed to us and left by him that shed it Christ's Blood is a Test amentary bequeathing Blood And Believers in their coming to the Throne of Grace may come as Suers for the Execution and fulfilment of the last Will and Testament of our Lord Jesus For Christ by his death turned the Gospel and new Covenant into a Testament Heb. 9.15,16,17 His Death confirms his Testament His last Will is that all the Blessings his Blood purchased might be secured and laid up for and in due time given forth to them they were purchased for and bequeathed to The whole Legacy of Grace and Glory and all the Legatees are and were well known to the Testator and Executor though not to us particularly and the Testament will be punctually fulfilled So much for the assistance to Faith that Christ's death affords Learn to feed on it He that cannot make a Soul-meal and take a Soul-fill of a slain Saviour is a sorry Christian A true Christian is a poor starving Sinner digging in Christ's Grave for eternal Life There it only is and there he surely finds it 5 We find further in our Lord Jesus and indeed every thing in and of him helps forward our confidence in coming to God that this great Person the Son of God in our Nature this great Officer that lived so holily and died so virtuously That he also rose again from the dead The Resurrection of our Lord is also a mighty ground of boldness 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the Lord and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead If Christ had lain still in his Grave our Hope had lain there too but because he rose our Hope also riseth with him So 1 Pet. 3.21 where the Apostle hath an elegant Similitude He compares Christ to the Ark of Noah All that were in this Ark were saved and they only the Deluge drowned all the World besides They that were saved in the Ark were saved from drowning in the Water and were saved by water The like Figure whereunto Baptism now saveth us Will bare Water-Baptism save No not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ As if the Apostle said He that by Faith hath sucked in the Virtue of Christ's Resurrection and can by that Faith plead it before God is a saved Man If all the World perish in the Deluge of God's Wrath this Man is in the Ark and nothing shall hurt him But alas Christ's Resurrection is looked upon by many Professors as a part of Gospel-History and Truth that it is a shame for any to be ignorant or doubt of and therefore they profess the Faith of it but they consider not that a great part of the Food of our Souls and of our Faith doth lye in this point of Truth This I would shew in three things 1. Christ's Resurrection was a Demonstration of the Divine Dignity of his Person Rom. 1.4 He was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the dead The glorious Rays of his God-head did appear in his Word and Works and some had eyes to behold his Glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth even when he dwelt amongst Men. John 1.14 But his Glory was under an Eclipse till his Resurrection How stately and how sweetly doth he himself express it Rev. 1.17,18 I am the first and the last high Names of
over them at sometimes more than at other times When it is well with the new Creation within Christians can keep the Devil at a Bay and Stand when it is otherwise he prevails immediately we are disarmed and his Darts pierce and enter There is some ground to suspect that David's Heart was not in so good a frame as usually sometime before his foul Fall 2 Sam. 11. As to Peter it is plain his vain-self-confidence gave Satan an opportunity to sift him as he did 3. How doth the Grace of God help in a decayed state 1. Grace helps in preserving Life at the Root There is some witness for God kept up I sleep but my heart waketh saith the Bride Song 5.2 It is well all was not asleep The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak saith meek Jesus in his Agony in the Garden to the three distempered Disciples Matth. 26.41 These same three sleep in the Mount of Transfiguration Luke 9.32 and in the Garden of Agony Paul found this Witness preserv'd in his Captivity to the Law in his Members Rom. 7.23 2. Grace helps under a decayed State by making a secret growth downward A growth that the Believer cannot feel in himself and that others cannot quickly perceave yet it is a real growth and will in God's due time appear We commonly value most that growth in Grace that hath fair Blossoms and Fruit appearing to our comfort and to the Lord's Praise before others And it is indeed desirable and to be studied Matth. 5.16 John 15.8 But there is a growth that may be carried on in the Root only in the rooting Grace of a Christian As in clearer Discoveries of in-dwelling sin in the Heart and in more self-diffidence and self-distrust Paul had this Fruit. 2 Cor. 1.8,9 It is a sad thing that many Christians are so fond of themselves of the good that is in them that the Lord seeth that nothing is so fit to cure them of this as leaving them to themselves And when this leaving of them to themselves hath brought them to a discovery of themselves and that discovery hath wrought a distrust of themselves and that distrust hath taught them Faith in God then the Lord hath reached his end on them and will change his way with them 3. Grace can revive the decayed state of a Believer Psal 23.3 He restoreth my Soul He reneweth their strength Isa 40.31 Psal 103.5 Thy youth is renewed like the Eagles This is impossible in Nature and as to our Bodies but as to our Souls and the work of God in them it is what is promised and often done Old people may and do often in their Folly and Vanity counterfeit Youth but all their Arts cannot make themselves one hour younger But the Lord can renew the youth of the new Creature and make it better with him than ever it was David prays for it Psal 51.10 Create in me a clean Heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me Peter got a new Conversion Luke 22.32 They both had been converted and renewed before but they fell under a sad decay and needed this restoring Grace and got it So much of the second time of need I proceed to a third not so common 3. A time of special Enjoyments is a time of special need of God's helping Grace You may think it strange but it is true that they that receave most of the Lord 's gracious bounty stand in most need of Grace to guide it well Concerning this season I would speak in five Particulars 1. Mast Christians know what those Enjoyments are by experience although it various measures It is very suspicious that that Person is an Hypocrite that is always in the same frame let them pretend it to be never so good The true Christians Sky is never long clear and without Clouds change of weather and ways is usually found by Travellers to Heaven It is to be suspected that he is not right who hath no changes Psal 55.19 These special Enjoyments are of several sorts 1. There is some special nearness to God enjoyed by Christians at some times We are not at all to be offended at but rather confirmed by the Reproaches of the Ungodly that are utter strangers to such Enjoyments and cannot endure nor understand the Scripture Names of such Blessings that they themselves are unacquainted with What is more frequent in the Word than this nearness to God What is better known in the Experience of Saints than this nearness He makes gracious Approaches to Mens Spirits and causeth them to approach to him Psal 65.4 they find it good for them Psal 73.28 The first gracious change wrought in a Soul is by bringing a distant sinner near to God Eph. 2.13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ Whenever the Virtue of that Blood came upon you by the Spirit of Christ God came near to you and you were brought near to God But besides this nearness that is begun in the first Application of Grace and changeth their State there is more nearness given by the Lord and enjoyed by his people for the cheering of their Hearts and bettering of their Frame Exercised Christians are able to give a distinct account of their having of this nearness at some times and of their want of it at othe times How much of both are in the Psalm of David And such as can understand the nearness to and distance from God so frequently mentioned there as only the Psalmists sense of God's favourable or cross Providence towards him in outward things are to be pitied for their ungodly lgnorance and despised for their expounding the Words of a man after God's heart according to the carnal Sentiments of their own 2. There are Effusions of the Spirit spoke of in the Word and found by Christians which are special Enjoyments Sometimes they are found in the performance of spiritual Duties of Worship sometimes in the exercise of grace Grace should be acted in all Duties of Worship but it may be and should be acted out of any formal Duty You should never pray but there should be acting of Faith and Love on Christ But God be thanked you may act Faith and Love when ye do not pray when you are about no setled spiritual Duty of Worship there is a being in the 〈◊〉 of the Lord all the day long Prov. 23.17 A walking up and down in the name of the Lord. Zech. 10.12 A doing of every thing in the name of the Lord Jesus Col. 3.17 Every Believer hath the Spirit of Christ If any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 But there are some singular Powrings out of this Spirit promised and bestowed and well known by Believers and they are precious Enjoyments This spirit the world cannot receave because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you as
as David resolved Psal 116.2 And when he comes to die and hath prayed his last Prayer with Stephen Acts 7.59 Lord Jesus receave my Spirit and gets it answered Praying Believing and the Throne of Grace it self as to him is at an end and everlasting Praises before the Throne of Glory of God and of the Lamb begin never to have an end Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Finish thy Work fulfil all thy Promises answer fully all the Prayers of all thy People Put an end to Sin and Time and Trouble and Temptation And hasten the Marriage Day that thy people may be glad and rejoyce and give honour to thee Rev. 19.7 Let the Bride be made ready and let the Bridegoom appear in his Wedding Garments of Glory O how blessed will the Meeting and the Marriage be He married his Bride when on Earth in Garments dyed in his own precious Blood and the Bride receaves him as Glorious even in 〈◊〉 bloody Raiment This most precious Blood was shed in love to his Bride and for her Salvation and therefore he is amiable to her in that Dress Believers in Christ are contracted to a slain Husband but shall be married to him in a far other Manifestation of himself How great is the difference betwixt our dearest Lord Jesus under his Cross and under his Crown And yet under his Cross he is infinitely amiable to a Believer's Heart and Eye If it were not that the Light of that glorious day of his Appearance will prevent all Mistakes the Nations of them which are saved as they are called for their Multitude out of all Nations Rev. 21.24 might doubt but doubt they cannot but wonder they will both at him and at themselves 2 Thess 1.10 and say Is this that blessed Saviour I believed on so feebly whom I trusted with my Soul and its Salvation with so much fainting and with so many Fears is this he whom I loved so little and so coldly Is this he whom all the time I liv'd on Earth after he had revealed himself to me I depended and lived on by Faith and that with so many Staggerings through Unbelief because I knew not so well as now I do whom I then believed And until this blessed Day come and come it will for it is promised and sworn by him who cannot lie it is not far off for it is above 1600 years since he testified Surely I come quickly Rev. 22.20 It is his last Promise to his Bride Let his most excellent Name be poured out as Oyntment and let the Savour of his Knowledge be made manifest in every place Let his Saving blessed Death be remembered gloryed in and fed upon by all Believers the greatest Token of his Love to us the only Price of our Redemption 1 Pet. 1.19 and the only Food of our Souls Let his justifying Righteousness be only mentioned before God on Earth by believing Sinners as it will be only mentioned by glorified praising Saints in Heaven Let the Throne of Grace reared up by the Father in his Son and consecrated by the Blood of this Son God manifest in the Flesh be revealed to the darkened World and set up amongst the blinded Nations And let Grace from thence be dispensed to many thousands of perishing Sinners Let the glory of God's free most free every way free Grace in Jesus Christ shine so in the Nations as it may and when that Glory shines it will darken confound and put to shame all the Antichristian Darkness and Dreams of false Christs of men's making and of Works Hire and Merit under all their Names and Pretences and make it all hateful in Sinners Eyes as it is hurtful to their Souls and as it is hateful in God's sight Let the Praises of my Lord and my God as recovered Thomas calls him John 20.28 fill Heaven and Earth and fill the Hearts and fill the Mouths and shine in the Lives of all Believers on his Name and let his Praise fill all the Gospel Worship in all the Churches till the Day of the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2.13 And unto these Wishes let every Believer on and sincere Lover of Jesus Christ say and every one that is such will say Amen So let it be so will it be FINIS
THE THRONE OF GRACE Discoursed of from HEB. IV. 16. By Robert Trail M. A. Minister of the Gospel LONDON Printed by J. Orme for Nathanael Hiller at the Prince's Arms in Leaden-hall-Street over against St. Mary Ax Church 1696. PREFACE WHat is in this Book offered to your Reading was some years since preached in the ordinary Couse of my Ministry on a Week day with no more thought that is none at all of Printing it than I had of Publishing this way anything I have preached these Seven and twenty years wherein I have been exercised in the Ministry of the Word save one single Sermon extorted from me about fourteen years ago The Publishing of such plain Discourses is singly owing to the Importunity of some of the Hearers and to the Assistance they gave me by getting what I spake transcribed from two Short-hand Writers without which I could not have Published it My own Notes being only little Scraps of Heads of Doctrine and Scriptures confirming them In the same way I had brought to me what I spoke from Heb. 10.23,24 and have it lying by me which may also see the Light if the Lord will that I live and if this be accepted of such whose Testimony I only value I mean such as are sound in the Faith and exercised in the life of Faith I know no true Religion but Christianity No true Christianity but the Doctrine of Christ of his Divine Person the Image of the invisible God Col. 1.15 of his Divine Office the Mediator betwixt God and Men 1 Tim. 2.5 of his Divine Righteousness He is the Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23.6 Which Name is also called upon his Church Jer. 33.16 and of his Divine Spirit which all that are his receave Rom. 8 9. I know no true Ministers of Christ but such as make it their Business in their Calling to commend Jesus Christ in his Saving fulness of Grace and Glory to the faith and love of Men. No true Christian but one united to Christ by Faith and abiding in him by Faith and Love unto the glorifying of the Name of Jesus Christ in the Beauties of Gospel-Holiness Ministers and Christians of this Spirit have for many years been my Brethren and Companions and I hope shall ever be whithersoever the Hand of God shall lead me Through the Lord's Mercy to me as to many in London I have often heard what is far more worthy of the Press than any thing I can publish I have not been negligent in desiring such able Ministers of the New Testament to let their Light shine this way but have little prevailed It may be this mean Essay may provoke them more to that good Work Whatever you may think of my way of managing this Subject and indeed there is nothing in that either as designed or expected by me or that in it self deserveth any great Regard Yet the Theme it self all must judge who have spiritual Senses is of great Importance and always seasonable It is concerning the Throne of God's Saving Grace reared up in Jesus Christ and revealed unto Men in the Gospel with the Application all should make to that Throne The great Blessings to be reaped by that Application and Men's great need of those Blessings This greatest of Subjects is meanly but honestly handled in the same Order in which it was Preached and mostly in the same Words Some few Passages out of History are inserted which were not spoken May the Lord of the Harvest who ministred this Seed to the Sower make it Bread to the Eater and accompany it with his Blessing on some that are called to inherit a Blessing and I have my End and Desire the Reader shall have the Benefit and the Lord the Glory For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be Glory for ever Amen London March 25. 1696. Ro. Trail ERRATA PAge 2. line 3. read Acts 9.22 and 17.2,3 and l. 18. for held r. hold p. 3. l. 3. for exhortation r. expression p. 20. l. 24. r. receaving p. 26. l. ult r. Righteousness p. 47. l. 5. for 4. r. 3. p. 78. l. 10. for considering r. consider and l. 16. r. I will p. 97. l. 23. r. God p. 127. l. 4. a. f. for better r. bitter p. 128. l. 5. for a r. as p. 135. l. 3. for Lord r. God p. 138. l. 25. for never r. ever p. 141. l. 9. a f. dele is p. 162 for Creations r. Creation p. 177. l. 6. for 73. r. 78. p. 189. l. 7. for it is r. is it p. 213. l. 15. r. able to take and l. 20. r. Rom. 8. p. 222. l. 11. r. for sa r. as p. 239. l. 9. r. inverting p. 249. l. 13. for Man r. Men or Many p. 250. l. 4. for in r. as p. 253. for on r. one ADVERTISEMENTS THE Righteousness of God through Faith upon all without difference who believe in two Sermons on Rom. 3.22 By Nathanael Mather Preacher of the Gospel 1694. The Conquests and Triumphs of Grace Being a Brief Narrative of the Success which the Gospel hath had among the Indians in New England By Matthew Mayheu 1695. Batteries upon the Kingdom of the Devil By Mr. Cotton Mather Author of the late memorable Providences relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions and of early Piety exemplified 1695. A Learned and accurate Discourse concerning the Guilt of Sin Pardon of that Guilt and Prayer for that Pardon Written many Years ago By the Reverend Mr. Thomas Gilbert Minister of the Gospel lately deceased at Oxford 1695. A Letter to Dr. Bates concerning a Vindication of the Doctor and my self necessitated by Mr. W's his Answer to Mr. Humfrey By S. L. 1695. All Printed for Nath. Hiller at the Prince's-Arms in Leaden-hall-street over-against St. Mary-axe 1695. 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 main drift of the blessed Apostle the Holy Ghosts Penman in this Excellent Epistle is to set forth the preheminence of our Lord Jesus Christ first in his Divine Person far above all Angels who are bid Worship him even when dwelling in Man's Nature If the God-head of our Lord Jesus Christ be hid from the readers of this Epistle it must be by a special Power of the God of this world on their unbelieving minds 2 Cor. 4.3,4 Will blinded men forbear to call the Son God when the Father speaks so Chap. 1.8 Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever Then the Apostle speaks of his Incarnation chap. 2.11 c. and therewith speaks of his Priesthood chap. 3 The Apostle compares Christ with and prefers him above Moses chap. 3. then above Aaron as a Priest chap. 7. and compares him with Melchisedech an eminent Type of Christ By this Epistle we may know what Paul's reasonings with the Jews were Acts 9.23 and what is the right way of dealling with the Jews at this day till Christs Divine
Person and Righteousness and Priesthood have more room in the Religion of the Gentiles Christianity is not like to leaven the Jews This Doctrine of Christ's Priesthood and of the Sacrifice of himself he offered in that Office the Apostle doth often intermix with suitable Exhortations from it as in the context ver 14. Seeing then we have a great highpriest all the Old Testament Highpriests were but types and shadows of Him and were but little highpriests that is passed into the heavens no highpriest but Christ went further than the Holy of Holies for the peoples advantage Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession The dignity of Christ in his advanced State as well as his Grace in his humbled State lays Christians under a strong engagement to cleave to him with steadfast confidence Yet for as great as this person is and for all that he is in Heaven and in unspeakable Dignity and Glory there you must not think that he in Heaven and we on Earth can have no communion ver 15. for we have not an highpriest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities though now he hath none of his own yet can he feel these of his people and his feeling engageth speedy relief The reason the Apostle gives for this sympathy of Christ with his people is from Christ's experience when on earth But was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin The Apostle delivers the mind of the Holy Ghost about Christ's sympathy negatively we have not an high-priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities in which manner of exhortation he reflects on the meanness of the Levitical Priests to whom it was impossible to know and feel all the infirmities of the people for whom yet they appeard before God and he implys the affirmative strongly we have an high priest which can be and is touched with the feeling of our infirmities How a sinless man as Christ ever was can be touched with the feeling of the infirmities of sinners and many of these infirmities sinful ones How a glorified man as Christ now is exalted to and possessed of the highest Glory and Bliss can be and is touched with the feeling of all the infirmities of all his people is what the word plainly reveals to be believed but it s not to be fully known till we come to Heaven But he is the Head and all his people are his Body his members of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5.30 a marvellous word Can the flesh be torn and the bones be broken and the head not feel it Though he be glorified above what we can conceave he is a living sensible and compassionate Head and as nearly and closely united to all his Members now as when they saw with their eyes and heard with their ears and with their hands handled the word of life 1 John 1.1 There is nothing ails a poor Believer in Christ there is no groan riseth from his distressed Heart but it is immediately felt at the tender Heart of the Lord Jesus at the Fathers right hand We would groan and sing with the same breath if we believed this firmly In my Text there is a most blessed exhortation from this same ground of Christ's sympathy in Heaven unto a bold approaching to the Throne of Grace The nativeness and strength of the Inference is obvious to the most ordinary attention The exhortation is unto the improving of the greatest priviledge an erected and revealed Throne of Grace and that in the practice of the greatest Duty believing approaching unto this Throne or unto God sitting on this Throne of Grace What I would take up in and handle in speaking to these words shall be the resolution of four weighty Questions which should be in the hearts of all worshippers of God 1. The first great Question is Where may I find God This was Job's question and wish Job 23.3 O that I knew where I might find him that I might come even to his seat and that this seat was a Throne of Grace to Job is evident from ver 6. This Text tells you God is on a Throne of Grace A fit place for God to be sought in and where only he can be found graciously by a sinner 2. Question is How should we come to God on this Throne Let us come boldly saith the Apostle The original word signifieth coming freely with free open bold speaking pouring out all our hearts and minds to him Let us come without making use of Saint or Angel to introduce us to this Throne Any poor sinner may come himself alone to this Court and that boldy without fear of being repulsed The 3 Question is the hardest what ground hath a sinner for this boldness The ground the Apostle gives for it is hinted in the word therefore which relates to ver 14 15. Because of Jesus the Son of God our great high-priest in heaven If we had not such a high-priest ministring in glory at the high Altar above no sinner could come boldly to the Throne of Grace on earth So he argues chap. 10.19,20,21,22 4. The last question is What shall we get and for what may we come to this Throne of Grace The Apostle speaks fully to this in the Text let us come that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need These precious things Mercy and Grace are scattered round this Throne any poor needy creature should come for a saving Alms from this Throne and may have it for the coming The first of these I would begin with Where is God to be found The Apostle tells us on a Throne of Grace This word is only here no where else in the Scriptures is the word to be found but what is signified by it is frequently in the Old and New Testament as we shall hear But though the phrase the Throne of Grace be only once named in this Heb. 4.16 yet the thing signified is so precious and the expression of it is so savory significant and suitable that this form of speaking the Throne of Grace is become famous known and used amongst Christians and will doubtless be till the end of Time As long as God hath a mind to give Mercy and Grace as long as any of the Children of men are sensibly needy of Grace and Mercy and askers and receivers thereof from the Lord and that will be till the Heavens be no more this Throne of Grace will be plyed and praised I would first consider the proper meaning of this word a Throne of Grace It 's obvious that the Apostle in this Epistle doth every where if I may use a much abused word Christen the Old Testament Types and gives them New Testament names and applys them to the Doctrine of Christ he is teaching the Christian Jews he writes to The Old Testament Church knew what a high-priest was what his Institution Office and performance were in the Tabernacle in
whom shall it be filled but with vessels of mercy whom he had afore prepared unto glory Rom. 9.23 2. It is called a Throne of Grace because Grace hath here and here only a glorious display and discovery Till men get a sight of God in Christ they cannot tell what the grace of God is search Heaven and Earth you can never get a view of God's Grace till ye come to this Throne You may see Gods Infinite Power and Wisdom and Goodness written in great Characters in the great volume of Creation and Providence But till ye come to know God in Christ on this Throne you can never see that Divine Dainty and Saving Blessing the free Grace of God Grace as an everlasting fountain in the Heart of God pouring down streaming forth eternal Salvation on ruined unworthy sinners Men should make a visit to the Throne of Grace if they had no other errand but to get a sight of this precious Thing the Grace of God A right sight of it is saving Believers should long to be in Heaven if they had no other errand then to see the Spring-Head of that Flood of Grace that came down from Heaven to drag them out of Hell and to draw them up to Heaven 3. It is called a Throne of Grace because all the Acts and Sentences past at this new Court are all acts of Grace all the Blessings given from this Throne are all of meer Grace Nothing is here but Grace John 1.17 The law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ. Was there no Grace nor Truth under the Law Yes a great deal but it all belonged to Jesus Christ. There was Grace under the Law but none but what related to Jesus Christ There was Truth under the Law but only as Christ was pointed at otherwise all were but vain and beggerly Rudiments and empty dark Shadows The Jews see nothing of Christ in the Old Testament and therefore find neither the saving Mercy nor saving Truth of God in it And it is much worse with men Christians I cannot call them that see as little of Christ in the New Testament Take the Chain of Salvation and all the Links of it as the Apostle names them Rom. 8.29,30 and all of them are of Grace We are chosen by Grace we are given to Christ by Grace Redeemed by him by Grace By Grace we are justified through that Redemption by the same Grace we are adopted by the same Grace we are saved by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost and by Grace we shall be glorified And they that will not claim these blessings and hold them by this Tenure of free Grace I dare not say that they shall never have them for this Grace can overcome its greatest enemies but I may say that they have at present no part or portion in this matter and when they come to partake of Grace and to know the Grace of God in Truth as Col. 1.6 they will be of another mind and count it the best Tenure to hold all by even by free Grace Yea after all the Riches of Grace poured forth on Believers in this life when they come to receive the Crown of Glory they receive it as humbly yea more than they did any former Act of Grace from this Throne The overcomer by the Blood of the Lamb will receive the Crown from his Glorious Redeemer as humbly and with owning it as a gift of Grace as much as ever he did receive a pardon in that Blood when his head was on the Block and the Ax of Law and Justice lifted up to cut him off for his Iniquity There may be proud Pleaders for or rather presumers and expecters of the Crown of Glory but no proud receivers of it We must look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life Jude 21. Merit and Worth are only for Hell and they have no room in Heaven nor in the way to it Justice reigns in Hell and Grace in Heaven So all will find that come to Heaven and so must they all know and believe that would be there Sinners that are for Merit will find it sadly in Hell Mens Merit makes Hell and Christ's Merit makes Heaven Rom. 6.23 4. It is called a Throne of Grace because the Glory of Grace is the last and highest end of the building of this Throne and of all the acts of Grace dispensed at it and from it That proud Monarch spoke vainly and wickedly Dan. 4.30 and was quickly by God punished severely for his sin If we may be allowed to allude to such words we may say of the Throne of Grace Is it not that high Throne that God hath built for the house of his Kingdom by the might of his power and for the honour of the Majesty of his Grace Are any chosen in Christ and predestinated to the adoption of Children by him It is to the praise of the glory of his grace Eph. 1.4,5,6 Do they believe by Grace it is to the praise of his glory vers 12. are they sealed and at last possessed of Heaven that is to the praise of his glory vers 14. Are they quickned when dead in sin and advanced in and by Christ Jesus this is to the praise of his Grace Eph. 2.4.7 All the blessings in Time and Eternity that the Heirs of Grace enjoy are all to the praise and glory of that Grace they spring from We read in the word of none of the Counsels of God before the Creation of all things but of his purpose of saving of a company of poor sinful men by Jesus Christ and of no other design in this purpose but to magnifie his Grace in saving of them this way So much of the signification of this word a Throne of Grace 3. What is it to come unto this Throne of Grace Though the prosecuting of the Exhortation in this Text will open up the nature of this coming more fully yet I would speak somewhat of it in this place 1. This coming implys a state of distance from this Throne in them that are called to come This is called being far off Eph. 2.13 and this state all men by nature are in Men are in God's Eye and Hand he is not far from every one of us for in him we live and move and have our being Acts 17.27,28 As the Psalmist speaks excellently in Psal 139. of the nearness of men to God and of his Omnipresence and Omniscience But his gracious presence as on a Throne of Grace is far from all then by nature and they far from it This presence is far from man's knowledge no knowing of it but by Revelation Far from mens attainment for no man can come unless he be drawn of God John 6.44 Far from their Experience and far from their Love for they are alienated from the life of God Eph. 4.18 And in his favour is life Psal 30.5 and in nothing else 2. It is also
men may grumble at but cannot hinder The praise of spotless Justice will rise up to eternity by the Torments of the Damned But he that is ignorant of Gods Righteouss can far less conceave the glory of Justice in brusing a sinless man who was also in the form of God and counted it not robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2,6 though some in our days think it blasphemy to say so a person beloved of the Father above all creature-thought and that for the sins of others and they also the beloved of the Father in his eternal purpose 2. God is just in not exacting the same debt of sin twice both of his Son and of his people in whose stead he paid it 3. God is just in discharging of his Son from whom he hath receaved the full and covenanted satisfaction for sin And he is just in discharging Them for whom this satisfaction was given He is just in raising Christ from the dead and he rose for our justification Rom. 4.25 We are justified freely by his Grace but this free free-grace flows to us through the Channel of Redemption by the Blood of Christ And both this Grace and this Blood is set forth in the Gospel to our Faith and must be applyed unto by Faith and applyed to us in believing Whatever the Thoughts of Men be of these things Free-grace and Dear-blood are the stay of all the Redeemed on Earth and the everlasting Song of all the glorified in Heaven 4. And lastly to raise your Thoughts of the greatness of this Favour of having a Throne of Grace to come to consider what rich provisions are made at this Throne for sinners This the Text speaks of and we shall in order handle them Only now a few words There is no Court in all Gods Dominions that a sinner can come to and find any mercy or grace but only at this Throne of Grace If you talk of Law or Justice or Equity these are all frightful Courts to sensible sinners they know their Cause and Case is bad and if they come to any Bar but that of the Throne of Grace they must be cast But at this Throne of Grace there they that have nothing may get all things they that deserve nothing may get every thing they that deserve Wrath may obtain Mercy they that are cast and condemned at the Court of Justice may be acquitted and freed from all sentences and be adjudged to eternal life by the grace of God in Christ Jesus All that is needful to Salvation is dispensed at this Throne Yet all that is given is old in the purpose of grace from eternity Old in the everlasting Covenant Old in the purchase of Jesus Christ Only it s newly given according to the sinners necessity 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling this was done as yesterday But how came we by this saving and this calling Not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace Paul still opposeth Works to Grace and Grace to Works in the matters of Iustification and Salvation and so doth his Lord and Master that taught him and so do all that know either grace or works rightly which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began Let this be still kept in mind that whatever you can need there is a suitable and abundant supply to be had at this Throne of Grace I shall conclude this Exercise with naming two sorts of people that will be specially welcome to the Throne of Grace 1. They that come to the Throne of Grace soon and early I mean young people Children that begin betimes to be Courtiers and Attendants at this Throne Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me saith the King on this Throne of Grace O that young people would try and use this Throne of Grace betimes They would find Christ very gracious to them he would discover his Beauty and give them of his Love that would cool their Thirst after sinful pleasures They might grow rich and strong in grace before they be old Or if they die young they should be transplanted to a better soil and be nearer the Sun of Righteousness than they can be in this World Never did a Saint got safe ashore in Heaven bewail his arriving there too soon 2. They that come to the Throne of Grace to Get and and not to Give Take heed to your Spirits in this matter When you come to the Throne of Grace come to receive out of Christs fulness and come not to bring grace with you to add to Christ's Store He loves to give and glories in giving but he scorns to receive grace from you and in truth you have none but what he gives Bring your wants to him to supply but bring not your fulness to brag of Spread your sins before this Throne with shame and sorrow and plead for a gracious pardon But take heed you bring not your sorrow tears and repentance nay nor your Faith it self as a plea for that pardon How abominable is it to Christians ears and how much more unto Christ's to hear a man plead thus for pardon Here is my Repentance where is thy Pardon Here is my Faith where is thy Justisication I know men abhorr to say so but take good heed lest any thought bordering on it enter into thy heart Faith is the Tongue that begs pardon Faith is the Hand that receives it It is the Eye that seeth it but it is no price to buy it Faith useth the Gospel plea for pardon but it self neither in habit nor act is the plea it self that is only Christ's blood Christ's blood goes for the Remission of your sins if ever they be forgiven and is the only plea to be heard at the Throne of Grace There are too many like the Pharisee Luke 18.11 It would seem by Christ's words vers 14. that both came for Justification The Pharisce stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men are nor as this Publican Poor wretch the Publican was a far better man than he as Christ testifieth He came to the Throne of Grace like a man that would carry something away It is a Rule of this Court. Luke 1.53 He hath filled the hungry with good things but the rich he hath sent empty away According to this Rule the Lord dealt with the Pharisee and the Publican and so will he deal with you as you are like the one or the other in your approaches to and pleadings at the Throne of Grace SERMON II. 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 I Did take up this Exhortation as containing an answer to four considerable Questions that usually are in the hearts of them that draw near to God seriously 1. Where may we find Him
Are you worse than some he hath commanded Jer. 3.1,4,5 Thou hast plaid the harlot with many lovers yet return again to me saith the Lord. Such a practice in your Land would greatly defile it saith the Lord but such acts of Grace become the Throne of Grace Rev. 3.17,18 Are you worse than poor and blind and miserable and wretched and naked yet the King of this Throne commands them to come to him though he sweetly calls it Counsel and in it we may joyn his two Names Wonderfull Counselor Is 9.6 Object 2. But Christ calls and invites them that are weary and heavy laden Matth. 11.28 the thirsty Is 55.1 And I am not such and therefore he commands not me to come Answ 1. Do you expect any Grace but at this Throne of Grace Think you to work it out in your selves and come to him for more Or to get the beginning some where else and then come to Christ for the rest This bewrays your Pride and Ignorance of the intire corruption of your Nature and of your Impotency to any good This frame discovers your Ignorance of the Nature of the Grace of God that consists in its freedom as its Glory is in its being the original cause of all Good done for us and wrought in us or by us 2. Christ never bid any man be or do any thing without him and then come to him and he would do more for him Christ calls men as he finds them and then makes them what he would have them He begins the good work in them and performs it Phil. 1.6 3. These and many such like Calls and Invitations do not limit and restrain the universality of the Gospel command but do graciously apply it to such cases wherein they that are are apt to think that they are specially excepted What is more common than such arguings of Unbelief I have a vast load of sin lying on me I have spent my time and strength and money on Sin and Vanity I have been wearied in the greatness of my way of departing from the Lord and therefore the Lord will not recieve me Therefore such are named particularly by the Lord and specially called Therefore let no man whatsoever he hath been or is think that he is not commanded to come to this Throne of Grace Take the command lay it on your Conscience give Obedience to it take the command for your Warrant and never fear but ye shall be welcome Can your soul say Lord no man out of Hell is more needy of thy saving Grace than I no sinner more unworthy of it than I yet because thou commandest me to come I come to beg and to recieve He will sweetly recieve you Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out John 6.37 A Text that hath been an Anchor-hold to many a sinking sinner 4. All should come to the Throne of Grace because of the universality vast extent and indefiniteness of the promise of welcome to all that come The Command of God is a warrant and ground for our Obedience and the Promise is a ground for confidence The promise is Gods great mean for working faith Faith is the impression God makes on the soul of a man by the Promise When God takes the promise of the Gospel and applies it with the power of his grace upon the soul it leaves an abiding Mark and Signature and that is Faith The promise comes as the promise of a faithful God who cannot lie of a great salvation to a great sinner When the sinner seeth and feels the truth and goodness of this promise he believes This promise of God is to be preached to all that hear the Gospel or rather this promise is the Gospel the Lord will make it effectual as he seeth good The Apostle Peter encouraged such men to come to the throne of grace who if ever any in the world should have been kept back it should have been they a crew of the bloody Murtherers of the Son of God But the word preached by Peter takes hold of their souls and they cry out What shall we do No wonder they said so when the cry of Christs Blood was in their Consciences The Apostle saith to them Act. 2.38 Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of the Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost c. their sin was very great peculiar to them only none before nor after them were guilty of this The cry of innocent blood is a dreadful cry but this was more than all the Murthers ever committed in the World It was the murthering of the Son of God it was slaying the Prince of Life it was all that the Devil and wicked World could do to cut the Throat of the Gospel and of all the Elect of God and this wicked Act was done against Christ because he taught that he was the Son of God and that he came from the Father to be the Saviour of the World Yet saith the Apostle to them Repent and be baptized in his name for the remission of that sin you that have been dipt in his blood and so dreadfully guilty by the shedding of it be baptized in his name for the remission of that guilt and of all others This calling for repenting of their guilt of Christ's blood was plainly a requiring of Faith in him not only that he was the Lord Christ they had slain in their unblief but that pardon in the vertue of that Blood might be had by them on their betaking themselves to him by Faith So did the same Apostle preach to the Council Acts 5.28,31 when he and his Brethren were charged by the High-priest for filling Jerusalem with the Doctrine of Christ and intending to bring his blood upon them Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of Sins He directs them to look to Christ as the giver of repentance for and of forgiveness of all their sins not excluding but by v. 30. plainly including the greatest of all their sins their slaying of Christ and hanging him on a tree and this they did with wicked hands Acts 2.23 and with hearts as wicked as their hands Yet thus did Peter preach Christ So well did he remember his Lords command Luke 24.47 That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem His argument is Acts 2.39 For the promise is to you and your children Had they not slain the Heir and foundation of all the promises had they not done as much as men could do to forfeit all interest in the promise Yes but Peter still invites them to the throne of grace by an interest yet in the promise The promise of grace and salvation by Jesus Christ is the Rope and Cord that God casts out to sinking sinners it s equally in the offer of
reigned in them and over them and through them till it brought them to Heaven Wherefore seeing the having of a throne of grace is a priviledge of so great importance and of so uncertain continuance there should be the greater care to make diligent and present improvement of it Why should any man let this throne of Grace stand empty Will men provoke the Lord to say in vain have I set up a throne of grace for sinners that come not at it Again consider the Wrath that will follow on the neglect and not improving of this great priviledge The Sin is many ways committed and the judgments of many sorts that are inflicted But I leave this to the next occasion Except you in your personal exercise and experience do know what this throne of grace is and what is got there you may be Christians hereafter but as yet you are none unless you experience what this throne of grace is by frequent repairing to it and by frequent receiving good at it That Man or Woman whatever his or her name be in the world or the Church of Christ that never found any need for or use of or benefit by this throne of grace is surely a dead sinner People may safely and surely judge of both the State and Frame of their Souls by their business at the throne of grace Never got any Soul life but by an act of grace and power from this throne No Soul can be kept in life but by daily entercourse with it It s as impossible that these Bodies of ours should be maintained in life and strength without Meat and Drink and Air as it is for the Soul of a Believer to prosper without daily plying the throne of grace Let therefore the Exhortation in the Text be complyed with come to this throne Say therefore Lord I am invited to come to the throne of thy grace and none have more need of that grace than I and there is enough of grace there for me and therefore I will come and beg and get and abide and bless the Giver and become happy by Recieving SERMON III. 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 I Have spoke of the first thing that this Text contains That God in Jesus Christ in the Gospel is on a throne of grace inviting men to come to him What this throne of grace is why all should come who they be that will come and who will be specially welcome you have heard I was pressing this Exhortation of coming to this throne You see the Apostle in delivering this takes in himself with them he exhorts Let us come He had oft come before and had been bountifully dealt with at this Court 1 Tim. 1.14 And the Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant towards him This made him commend this Throne so highly and entreat others and stir up himself to frequent addresses to it I did use three Arguments to back this Exhortation and shall add a fourth 1. Was the greatness of the priviledge of having a throne of grace to come unto A priviledge denyed to fallen Angels and the knowledge of it denyed to the far greater part of Mankinde 2. This throne of grace is a priviledge full of rich advantages All Believers know somewhat of them All their acceptance with God all their access to God all their communications from him and fellowship with him all their Blessings in time and their hopes for Eternity are all owing to this that God is on a Throne of Grace 3. This priviledge is of uncertain duration and short The Lord the King is for ever but the Throne of Grace is not for ever it is but a Time dispensation and limited unto certain seasons The Gospel day is uncertain our life time is uncertain the Worlds day is uncertain to us though all determined by God But above all the Spirits day is uncertain How long he will strive when he will forbear who can tell Some godly men have thought that there are few if any that live under a powerful Ministry but at some time of their life the Spirit of God comes close to them so that there is not only a witness given for the Lord in the offers of the Gospel but there is a further addition to that witness by some special approaches of Gods Spirit to their hearts But whatever there be in that observation this is undoubted that where the Holy Ghost makes the strongest assaults on men if he be resisted and withdraws the most prodigious hardness is left behind Therefore extraordinary bold hardned sinners cruel Persecutors Apostates and Mockers of godliness are usually such as sometimes were under special Conviction not to speak of the sin against the Holy Ghost which consists in some high Rebellion against special workings of the Spirit of God on mens Consciences under the Gospel This dreadful sin Satan perplexeth many Believers with fears of it But its certain that a disturbing fear of this guilt is a proof of a persons innocency as to it For whosoever have fallen into this Abyss of wickedness are so far from fearing the sin though they may have a hopeless fear of wrath Heb. 10.26 that they glory in it therefore they are said to do despite to the Spirit of Grace Let all that find the Spirit striving with them take good heed to themselves comply with his motions and secure their state speedily by believing on the Lord Jesus for the season of his striving is the most critical part of our life and as it issues of greatest consequence to Salvation or Damnation 4. A fourth Argument I would conclude this point with is the greatness of the sin of not coming to the Throne of Grace and the dreadful wrath it draws on This sin is many â—ays committed and many ways avenged A â—…ttle of both It is committed 1. By mens despising and â—ontemning the Throne of Grace making light 〈◊〉 it Matth. 22.5 Neglecting so great Salvaâ—…on Heb. 2.3 There are many things from whence this contempt springs Either no sense â—f their need of what is to be had at the Throne of Grace or else a Dream that they â—ay be supplyed elsewhere or Gross Unbeâ—…ef that men think in their hearts that all â—his account of the Throne of Grace is but a cunâ—ingly devised Fable Or the nature of the Blesâ—ings Spiritual and Eternal unsuitable to and â—ot taking with their carnal Hearts who â—…ind earthly things If the Exhortation had â—un thus Let us come that we may get Silver and obtain Gold to render us rich in this World what leaping and striving would there be to obey it Whilst Grace and Mercy that men have no sense nor experience of are despised and therefore the Throne of Grace where only they are to be had is despised also The Spirit of God in the Scripture is at much pains to commend the Worth and Value
of the Blessings that Christ came to purchase and hath to dispense and to prefer them above all present sensible things yet notwithstanding all the bright light of the Word darting daily in mens eyes the dross and dung of this World is more precious in the eyes and savory to the heart of every ungodly man than all the Grace given on Earth and all the Glory to be given in Heaven 2. This sin of not coming is committed by delaying to come The call of God is Let us come The answer of many hearts is Let us delay to come Whence think you that these delays come We have it daily to bewail before God and you that a multitude will come together to hear and do so day by day yet all that can be said to them from their childhood to their old Age never prevailed with many of them to spend one hour in serious treating at the Throne of Grace with God in Christ for the eternal Salvation of their Souls It is undeniable that ye are but a pack of gross Hypocrites if you attend on the means of grace in the Assemblies of Saints and yet have no particular personal errand to the Throne of Grace for your own Souls The Salvation of the Soul is not carried on in a crowd The Grace of God must be particularly applyed to you and you must particularly apply it to your selves and your selves to the Throne of Grace if ever you be saved The fellowship of Saints was never ordained for this end to render personal applications to God needless and it is grosly abused when it is so perverted It is impossible that a person can have any true fellowship with Saints in any ordinance of God unless he have particular business at the Throne of Grace for himself He hath indeed no true Religion whose all of Religion is in Company and in Publick Yet we see how backward many Professors are to this personal treating with God how many shifts and delays they make To such I say would it not be a terror to you if either God or Man or Angels or the Devil should tell you this day that from this time to your dying day you shall never have leasure nor heart nor time to spend one quarter of an hour in dealing with God for your eternal Salvation Would not this be terrible to you But the same dreadful thing is daily done by mens delays The call of God is to day you say to morrow when to morrow comes then you say next day when that comes you put it still farther off This you may be sure of that whatever is the true spring and cause of delays in this matter will still remain and gather strength unless the Grace of God come in Men deceive themselves with vain pretences but the true spring of all delays in treating in earnest with God at the Throne of Grace is Unbelief and Unwillingness and the more they are indulged by delaying the stronger they grow Therefore the Holy Ghost saith to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Heb. 3.7,8 See how the Spirit of God fixeth an opposition betwixt these two present hearing and present hardening and a conjunction betwixt these two present not hearing and hardening If there is present hearing there is no present hardening if not there is The refusal given to the to days call of God hardens the heart against to morrows call O that men dreaded delays as most perillous things and the cause of the everlasting ruine of multitudes under the Gospel 3. Another way wherein this sin of noâ— coming to the Throne of Gods Grace is acted is iâ— refusing to come All do not so grosly buâ— some do There are two sorts of refusers thâ— Secure and the Discouraged There is a wofâ—… plague of secure despair a strange plague but â— certain one Some people find things are baâ— with them as to their Souls sins many corruptions strong they have made some essay to get matters mended and all in vain whereon they conclude that it will never be better and they sit down in security and give themselves up to their pleasures Isa 22.13 Leâ— us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die A strange Argument approach of death usually marrs the taste of pleasure The hand writing on the Wall even when not known marr'd Belshazzars cheer Dan. 5. This is a very miserable and sinful case It springs from mens being ignorant of the true remedy when they were sick of sin and because all the Physick and Physicians they used and tried did them no good they conclude their sickness is unto death But let such know that there is Hope in Israel concerning this thing Only come and see and try what may be done Beware of despair it is the Devils sin but he hath reason for it for he is condemned and all doors of hope are eternally shut upon him or rather none was ever opened to him But for a man that hath the riches of Gods long-suffering forbearance and patience Rom. 2.4 daily laid out upon him that hath the door of grace set open to him and the Lord calling entreating promising acceptance on his coming for such a man to give over all hope is a sin some way worse than the Devils a frame pleasing only to the Devil most dishonourable to God and his Son Jesus Christ and to the Holy Ghost I do not call it the sin against the Holy Ghost A reflection on all the glorious appearances and manifestations of the Throne of Grace and most surely damning if continued in Away with it speedily conclude thy case is not desperate and if you cannot shake it off come to the Throne of Grace and complain of it If ye can but see the Throne and him that sits upon it despair will vanish as a Night-Owl on the bright shining of the Sun of Righteousness Despair cannot live in the presence of the glorious grace of Jesus Christ. Come then and see and lay hold on the hope set before you The other Refusers to come are the Discouraged they do not despair that their case cannot be mended but they see so much and so many things out of Order that their hearts fail them in applying to the only Remedy In the time of their Carnal Security and Ignorance of God and of themselves that bred and kept up that Security they could rush into Gods presence without fear and call and count all the blessings of the Covenant theirs without any doubt and yet without any ground But when God begun to deal with them and to come close to them and to send in light and life into their Consciences then they see their former mistakes they see their utter want and great need of those blessings they once dreamed they were rich in the possession of they see their utter unworthiness of them and therefore find it hard to believe that ever the Lord will welcome them to the Throne of his
Grace Usually beginners in Christianity have greater light and sense as to their necessity of saving Grace and Mercy then about the Lords willingness to give them And this is the season wherein Satan doth usually come in if permitted and often he is with his Temptations and fiery darts that they felt nothing of while they were in his Kingdom and power of darkness To such I would propose 3 things 1. What is the ground of thy discouragement Hereto I know they will say a great deal and it may be more than is true I grant all can be said to be true But the sum of all is I am a great sinner and exceeding miserable Be humbled as low as Hell in the sense thereof yet be not discouraged What is in thy case but what is common only thou sees and feels for thy self and so did others 2. What is the tendency of it doth it tend to keep thee aloof from the Throne of Grace it is then of Satan 3. What can be the cure of it You would not be always in this heartless frame how think you to get it removed By keeping still from the Throne of Grace Will or can any spiritual plagues be cured but by Christ the Physician Or any spiritual Blessing be got but at his door Can you expect it without coming and begging David took the right course with his fainting heart Psal 42.5 He challengeth his Soul for its disquietment He chargeth it to trust in God and because he had not prevailed with his Soul he brings it to God by Faith ver 6. O my God my Soul is cast down within me Do ye so and call upon him by that name God that comforteth those that are cast down 2 Cor. 7.6 I shall name no more of the ways this sin is acted then these three despising delaying and refusing Several other Expressions there are of this sin in the Word but if you be kept from these three you are innocent from the great Transgression 2. What is the Wrath revealed from Heaven for this Great sin of not coming to the Throne of Grace 1. God testifies his Displeasure against this sin by taking away of his Gospel nothing is more just with God then that when his Grace is slighted the means of Grace should be removed If the Lord argue so as to correction Isa 1.5 Why should ye be stricken any more Ye will revolt more and more much more may he argue thus Why should I keep up a Throne of Grace any longer You will but despise it more and more Christ teacheth a sad parable Matth. 21.33 c. and makes a just but dreadful application of it to the hearers ver 43. Therefore I say unto you the Kingdom of God another name of the Throne of Grace shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof They were cut off for their unbelief Rom. 11.20 With what face can an unbeliever beg of God the continuance of the means of Grace who hath no mind to enjoy the end and blessinâ—… of those means A general contempt of the Grace of God enfeebleth the Spirit of Ministers and Christians in standing before the Lord for the continuance of the Gospel with a people that use it not This dreadful Judgment hath been often threatned in the Word and inflicted in the severe Providence of God on many once famous Churches and Nations As the Lord saith But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh where I set my name at the first and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel Jer. 7.12 So may I say go to Jerusalem and the Seven Churches in Asia go to Greece and Africa where many a famous Church was planted and learn to fear for your selves Not to speak of later desolations in ours and our Fathers days The Lords removing of his Gospel is a judgment that is very deep As the Apostle speaks of the same subject Rom. 11.33 We may take notice of this judgment as brought on by prevailing errors in and about the foundation Jesus Christ or by gradual Apostasie and Impurity of Conversation in Professors or by the rage of persecution wearing out the Saints of the most High Dan. 7.25 But yet we have good grounds from the word of God to believe and hope that the Gospel may be secured to a Generation ordinarily if they be careful to get the blessing thereof and to walk worthy of it If the grace of God its self be prized the means of grace will be continued 2. The Lord witnesseth his displeasure against slighters of his grace by fearful outward Judgments So far'd it with Jerusalem according to our Lords prediction Luke 19.42,43,44 It hath been a Remark of wise Observers of the Providence of God towards Nations since the Reformation from Popery that in those places where the greatest light of the Gospel hath shined there the greatest judgments have been inflicted As in Germany France and amongst our selves in Brittain 3. The Lord visits for this sin with spiritual judgments the most wrathful dispensations of God on this side Hell As hardness of heart blindness of mind searedness of Conscience vileness of affections Judgments which they that are under never feel nor complain of nor will be convinced of though they are sometimes visible to others If the Lord inflict them on the Heathen for their abuse of the dim light of Nature Rom. 1.21,24,26,28 How much greater are such that are sent for the abuse of the light of the Gospel That dreadful Commission given to the most eminent Prophet Isaiah ch 6.9,10 is often applyed and fulfilled in the New Testament Matth. 13.14 and John 12.39,40 Therefore they could not believe their sin was v. 37. they believed not on him here is their plague they could not believe because that Esaias said again he hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts that they should not see with their eyes nor understand with their hearts and be converted and I should heal them Paul applies it to some of his unbelieving Hearers with a strange Preface Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias to our Fathers saying Acts 28.25 The Interest and Influence of God in such spiritual Judgments is a great depth They are always just and always deep and dreadful are their effects They on whom they fall feel nothing see nothing fear nothing So that truly we may say as Psal 68 35. O God thou art terrible out of thy holy places But such as have a Heart to the Grace of God and would fain be blessed thereby need not fear those Judgments and shall never feel them 4. Lastly The Wrath of God against such as come not to the throne of grace is engraven in the singular vengeance of eternal Ruine There is something singular in their Hell The Law sends all unpardoned Sinners to a Law-Hell The Lord send Despisers of saving grace to a special Hell Heb. 2.3 and 10.29 A much
sorer punishment No Quarters in Hell are tolerable yet our Lord saith Matth. 11.22,24 That it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon Sodom and Gomorrah then for the Cities where he preaehed and wrought mighty works We should be thankful for this fair warning I am afraid that there are very few that do truly believe this That the Condition of a Sinner under the Gospel thaâ— is of a blameless Conversation and makes a faiâ— Profession only he is an Unbeliever in Jesuâ— Christ and one that hath no business at thâ— throne of grace he hath no other fault but thaâ— and he needs no more to ruin him that thiâ— Man's Case is worse now and will be worse aâ— the last day than that of the Inhabitants of Sodom on whom the Lord rained down Hell from Heaven Many of our gay Professors and civil moral Men would think themselves highly affronted and undervalued to be put in the Balances with filthy Sodomites If it were possible that thou had no fault but only Unbelief thy Sin is greater thy Judgment will be more dreadful thy State worse for Eternity than that of the vilest of the Nations to whom the throne of grace was never revealed John 15.22 If I had not come and spoken to them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin And to the same purpose our Lord spake to them ver 24. They were Sinners before but the Contempt of that Dispensation of grace that Christ brought to them rendered them singular Transgressors So John 3.17 God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved Are then all saved and none condemned No ver 18. Of the World that hear of God's Son some believe on him and they are not condemned but saved and others believe not on him and therefore are condemned ver 19. What is the Condemnation Light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil The Law condemns them because their Deeds are evil The despised Gospel condemns them because they refuse the only Remedy Law-Sin is poyson to the Soul and kills as such Unbelief is rejecting the only Antidote and kills as such Look to one Scripture more Luke 19.27 But those mine Enemies that would not that I should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me It is not usual for Kings and Princes to have Criminals executed in their presence but command it to be done by mean hands in some remoter place But Christ will have his Enemies slain before him To be slain in Christs presence is double destruction 2 Thess 1.9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction ever a destroying never destroyed the Destroyer punisheth eternally and the Destroyed suffer eternally from the presence of the Lord The meaning is not only that a great part of this Punishment stands in being deprived for eternity of the gracious presence of Jesus Christ as in Matth. 25.41 The first and saddest Word in the last Sentence is Depart from me Just for they said to him Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Job 21.14 Let all trembling Believers and Lovers of Christ perswade themselves that they shall never hear it pronounced against them All that make it their business to come to Christ that make it their daily suit that he would come to them shall not hear depart from me but come to me ye blessed ye often came for a Blessing and got many by coming now come to receave the Blessing of the Kingdom But this Word from the presence of the Lord saith further that this Destruction flows from Christ's angry and glorious Presence and that it shall also be in his Presence as Rev. 14.10 It is in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb they are tormented for ever Thus having opened the first Head in the Text That there is a throne of grace erected and revealed in the Gospel to which Men are invited to come I shall only apply it in two Questions and the Lord apply them to your Consciences and make them give a right and true Answer They are two short plain ones 1. Have you come 2. Will ye come 1. Have you come to the throne of grace Do you know and are sure that you have come As Peter said John 6.68,69 The Apostle speaks of such comers Heb. 12.24 But ye are come to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the Blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel You are all Hearers of the throne of grace many are Talkers of it and some Disputers and Contenders about this throne but are you Comers to it Is your Heart on it your Business at it and your daily exercise about it You are in the outward Court Doth that satisfie you Alas many poor Souls die and perish there To help to some Conviction how is it with you as to this I would ask 1. Have you come to the throne of grace Then you have seen the King He is a poor sorry Courtier that goes to Court every day and never seeth the King's Face As Absolom 2 Sam. 14.24,28 Alas many live in Jerusalem all their days and never see the King that dwells in Zion When Paul was brought to the throne of grace Christ was revealed in him and to him Gal. 1.15,16 When Men are brought and come to the throne of grace they receave the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 There is a seeing of him joined with believing on him John 6.40 All that see Jesus Christ must have Eyes from him to see him with The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of him that enlightens the Eyes of mens Vnderstanding Eph. 1.17,18 His Eye-Salve can only make blind Sinners to see Rev. 3.18 Are Men in doubt whether they have seen Christ or not Whence doth it proceed Is Christ so mean and dark and ordinary an Object that Men may see him and not know that they see him A Man may doubt whether his Eyes take up a dim cloudy Star in a dark night But the Sun doth not shine or the Man is blind if he lift up his Face and doubt whether he see the Sun at noon day There is a Manifestation of Christ promised John 14.21,23 which when made by him and perceaved by his people removeth all Doubtings so that the Soul must say as Isa 25.9 This is our God this is the Lord. But this measure is not ordinary nor constantly to be expected Is there any like unto Jesus Christ Are any of his Companions as they are called Song 1.7 so like to him that a Believer cannot discern the difference Never did a Man see Jesus Christ by the Eye of Faith but he is by that sight of him perswaded that there is none to be compared with
him No Man is converted and made a believer but by a Revelation of Jesus Christ A Man may be awakened with a view of God's Glory he may be alarmed by a sight of Sin and Hell and may be roused out of his sleep of security by the thunders of Sinai but he is never converted and made a Christian but by a Revelation of Jesus Christ as glorious in his Robes of Salvation Whence then is it that all Believers on him do not own his manifesting himself to them and their seeing of him It is in part from the weakness of their sight the greatness of the glory of him they see and their strong desire to see him better But for such as have spent their days about the throne of grace and yet never saw Jesus Christ and the Glory of God in his Face as a Saviour so as to disgrace all things in comparison with him so as to raise desires after more of him and so as to fill their Hearts with Love Wonder and Praise such have been at the Court but have not seen the King on his Throne 2. Are you come to the throne of grace What made you come what Errand did you come upon No Man comes without an Errand We need not make and seek one we have enow at hand if we would but use them What Wants felt you at home And what of his Fulness was taking with you Can you say I have a naked filthy Soul and I am ashamed to look on it but how well would the Robe of his Righteousness fit and adorn it I am empty of all Good and he is full of all Grace on purpose to fill perishing Souls and I come for a share thereof The Blessing of many ready to perish hath come upon him and I come for his rich Salvation and would leave my poor but eternal Blessing on him They that have no particular pressing business about their Soul's Salvation may talk of the Throne of Grace but do not indeed come to it 3. What got ye If you come indeed you receave If you receave not you come not Say not you have receaved nothing because you have not got all you would have It is necessary that such as come get somewhat but it is not fit that they should receave all that they want A life of Faith must be lived and dependance and begging still kept on foot But somewhat is still given and got though the Gift be not always seen and owned But tell me Christians indeed have you not sometimes got that at the throne of grace that ye would not take a World for Did you ever apply to this throne in earnest and found it in vain Have you not sometimes got a Glance of Christ through the Lattess Song 2.9 that hath made you forget your Poverty and remember your Misery no more Know ye not what it is to have a smile of his Countenance and a token that you have found favour in his Eyes Have you not got at this throne a word of Promise that hath fed and feasted thy Faith Jer. 15.16 Thy Words were found and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of mine heart for I am called by thy Name O Lord God of Hosts Have you not sometimes got the Door of Faith opened and the Eye of Faith sharpened that ye could see within the Vail and behold the good Land and the blessed Lord of it and thy happy Interest in both Let not this Throne be disparaged both by the true emptiness of Hypocrites that are about it rather than at it and by the peevishness of real Believers There are no poor Courtiers at this Court they are all rich Rev. 2.9 They are only poor in Spirit but not so poor as they think for a Kingdom is theirs that is better than all Kingdoms under Heaven Matth. 5.3 The World count Believers poor because they see they often have not outward Riches and they are blind and cannot see their spiritual Riches in Possession and Reversion The Believer thinks himself poor because he seeth not all he hath in Possession 1 Cor. 3.21,23 and because he would so fain have all he hath a right to Phil. 3.12.14 and the hope of Or because his Charters are hid or his Eyes are dim that he cannot read them 2. Q. Will ye come All is ready Come to this Throne Matth. 22.4 If ye have never come begin just now If ye have come often come more often and come better come nearer and closer still Is there any thing wanting in you Come for all supply is here Are you guilty Come for Pardon Many drawn Pardons are at this Court drawn up sweetly by free Grace sealed with the Blood of Jesus Come to this Throne and add your Seal of Faith to one for your self and it shall be a Charter for Glory to you lying warm at your Heart as long as you live and will be your Pass-port at death But because the following Words of the Apostle in this verse contain Arguments for coming I say the less now So much for the first Head of Doctrine in the Text. The second Head is How we should come to this throne of grace Come boldly saith the Holy Ghost by Paul's Pen. The Point I would speak to from it is this That there is a Boldness in Mens approaching to the Throne of Grace that is allowed and commanded For the Apostle doth not only mention it as a Priviledge allowed but as a Duty or Frame injoined and commanded So that he that comes not with this Boldness not only sits down short of his Allowance but sins in disobeying a plain Command The Priviledge is spoke of in Eph. 3.12 In whom ouâ— Lord Jesus Christ as ver 11. we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him In Heb. 10.19.22 both the Priviledge is asserted and the Improvement of it commanded in drawing near with full assurance of Faith and that to the holiest of all On this Point I would shew 1. What this Boldness is that is allowed in approaching to the throne of grace 2. What are the Grounds of this Boldness 1. What is the Boldness allowed in coming to the throne of grace There is a Boldness that is not allowed and that I would warn you of 1. There is a Boldness of Ignorance and Irreverence When Men come into God's Presence and neither know him nor themselves nor the Matters they think they come about such are Fools that consider not that they do evil nor remember that he is in Heaven and they upon Earth Eccles 5.1,2 God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all that are about him Psal 89.7 This Boldness is forbidden Psal 2.11 2. There is a Boldness of Peremptoriness that is not allowed to any Man not to a Believer himself People may and do often forget themselves as we use to say too much Familiarity
breeds Contempt Condescensions from Superiours oft make Inferiours forget their place The Lord deals so graciously with his People hears their Prayers readily stoops low to them in his Love and Pity that unless they watch and keep a Guard on their Spirits they may soon fall into the Sin of being too saucy and peremptory with God The first Prayer in the Bible made by the greatest Believer in the World Abraham is upon a most condescending appearance of God to him The Son of God in humane shape becomes Abraham's Guest at Meat Gen. 18. Some think that Christ respects this appearance in John 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad He gives him the last Promise of a Son with a determination of the precise time of its accomplishment ver 10. He deals with him as a Friend and so Abraham is called 2 Chron. 20.7 Isa 41.8 and Jam. 2.23 But all Believers are called Friends by Christ John 15.14,15 and after a great Commendation of Abraham the Lord tells him his purpose of wrath against Sodom ver 17. to ver 22. The Angels are sent to execute the Vengeance and Abraham stands before the Lord to plead for Mercy With what Boldness and Reverence doth he plead The more the Lord stoops in condescending to his Petitions the more low doth Abraham lye before him He neither forgot the Lord's Majesty nor his own Meanness and expresseth again and again a holy Fear of offending by his renewed Suits ver 27 30 31 32. I would have you considering this Instance of Prayer because it is the first recorded in the Word and because it was excellently managed by the Father of the Faithful So Gideon prays in Judg. 6.39 And Gideon said unto God Let not thine anger be hot against me and will speak but this once I am afraid that many sincere Christians are guilty of this Peremptoriness The Lord hath been so condescending to them that they become too peremptory about some Particulars Beware of it and see how the Lord hath dealt with his People and the best of them Psal 99.6,7,8 See Moses's Lot in this Matter He had often sought of God and prevailed Psal 106.23 Therefore the Lord said that he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the Breach to turn away his Wrath lest he should destroy them A Man to whom God spake Face to Face a Man to whom God spake so amazing Words Let me alone that my Wrath may wax hot against them Exod. 32.10 and Numb 14.20 I have pardoned according to thy word Yet even this Moses in a small matter for Life to cross Jordan and to see the promised Land hath this Answer Deut. 3.26 Let it suffice thee speak no more unto me of this matter Samuel is check'd also in a small matter that had prevailed for far greater 1 Sam. 16.1 How long wilt thou mourn for Saul seeing I have rejected him A Case may be such that though Moses and Samuel stood before the Lord they should not prevail Jer. 15.1 It is the only Priviledge of Jesus Christ to be always heard John 11.42 Yet he in his Agony pray'd so as to teach us to beware of this sinful Boldness Matth. 26.39 If it be possible let this Cup pass from me nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt Believers must remember that in all Cases they must deal humbly and in some Cases they must take Denyals Patiently 3. There is the boldness of presumption Presumption is like Faith in appearance but in reality it is very unlike it Presumption works this way the Presumer may have the mercy in his eye but he hath no promise in his eye Take heed to this If there be strong desires after a mercy and that mercy not pleaded for as in the promise there is a spice of presumption in that pleading The reason why Believers ask so great things of God is because God hath promised so great things to them 2 Sam. 7.27 Hence it is that presumption acts ordinarily in pleading with God not for the main spiritual blessings but for some outward mercy that their hearts may be too much set upon It is about such that Believers should watch against this presumptuous boldness But if the pleading at the Throne of Grace be about Salvation and spiritual Blessings the difference betwixt Faith and Presumption appears in this Presumption can never plead with God neither in deep distress nor in the view of sin But it is the excellent property of Faith that it can plead with God in both cases Psal 65.3 Iniquities prevail against me but as for our transgressions thou shalt purge them away Spoken like a Believer and Psal 130.3,4 If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand But can David stand Yes and he stands on this ground But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared There is just cause to suspect that there is presumption in that Mans heart when his Boldness is only kept up when sin is out of sight and disappears A Believer believes most humbly and often most strongly when his Sinfulness and Unworthiness is best seen For true Boldness of Faith is not supported by any good and worth in us but by what is in Christ The boldness of Faith cannot be entertained with regarding of iniquity in the heart Psal 66.18 1 John 3.20 Yet it can with the being and seeing of Iniquity in both heart and life Rom. 7.24,25 1 Tim. 1.15 But of this furder from the next head of the Boldness of Faith I now touch it only as it differs from the presumptuous Boldness that is allowed to none Again Faith can stand under that distress that breaks the back of Presumption Job 13.15,16 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him but I will maintain mine own ways before him He also shall be my Salvation for an Hypocrite shall not come before him He hath taken away my Children all at once my Estate in one day hath taken away my health and made me miserable to a Proverb in all Ages although he should proceed and slay me with his own hand my slayer is my Saviour my death shall be my Salvation Great words and hard to be spoken in the day of heavy tryal God slaying Job is Job's Salvation God slays Job trusts and maintains his confidence under the stroke No Hypocrite can do this and many Believers do but bungle at the doing of it There is an extremity a coming on every man that will try and discover what mettle there is in his Faith Prepare for it What then is the Boldness allowed in coming to the throne of grace It must not be an ignorant peremptory or presumptuous boldness What must it then be Answ It is only the Boldness of Faith Eph. 3.12 Heb. 10.19 The Boldness of Faith hath this in general in it that it is grounded and bottomed on somewhat without a man and on nothing
in him It is grounded on Jesus Christ as we shall hear further It is a great mistake in Christians to think that they cannot come to the throne of grace with Boldness because of the many Infirmities in their Hearts and in their Addresses Your complaint may be just and true but the Inference is not good Do you never in your counting your Infirmities put in this great one amongst them in your Confessions the want of Boldness of Faith For this Boldness stands not in any thing in us and done by us We must not come boldly because we can pray well and plead hard we must not think to be heard in Heaven neither because of our much speaking nor well speaking Matth. 6.7 as the Pharisees did The boldness of Faith hath a higher and more noble and firm Foundation even Jesus Christ I shall conclude this Discourse with these three Acts of this allowed and commanded Boldness of Faith 1. Believe firmly that the Throne of Grace is erected for poor empty sinful Creatures just such as you be As Paul saith of the Law 1 Tim. 1.9 It is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient so may we say of the throne of grace it is not made framed and revealed for the holy and happy but for miserable Creatures that want Mercy and sinful helpless Creatures that want Grace By what is dispensed here we may know for whom and for what sort of Folks it was design'd and erected 2. Believe firmly that coming to the Throne of Grace by you is allowed and commanded by the Lord. Say confidently while I am coming to the throne of grace for Mercy and Grace I am in the Work that the Lord would have me to be in Take in all Discoveries you have made unto you or that you can find out by searching of the Weakness and Infirmities that are in your way of addressing to it own them humbly but maintain this stedfastly that though you cannot do as you would as others do nor as you are bid that yet you are doing what ye are bid They are called Luke 14.21 Who are the poor and the maimed and the halt and the blind See a Promise looking that way Jer. 31.8.9 Now may not the halt and maimed be confident that they are coming when called although they cannot go so fast and straight as others do Every Believer walks in the steps of the Faith of Abraham Rom. 4.12 though not his Pace When you draw near to the throne of grace assure your Hearts you are in your Duty though many do it better than you do 3. Believe firmly that upon coming you shall speed This is coming with the boldness of Faith We should not come with a may be the Lord will be gracious It 's true that in some particulars not absolutely promised nor simply needful to Salvation this may be is all we can have or should seek But in addressing for Saving Mercy and Grace people should come expecting Success It had been a cold Word if it had been said Let us come to the Throne of Grace it may be we shall obtain Mercy and find Grace No the Apostle speaks in another Dialect Let us come that we may obtain Never doubt of obtaining if you come I say not that the confidence of good Entertainment at this Throne is common to all comers to it But only that it is the Duty of all that come for God's Mercy and Grace in Jesus Christ to perswade their Hearts that they shall obtain and find it and good grounds there are for it as we shall hear How is it with you Christians you often come to this Throne What are the Thoughts of your Hearts as to the issue of your Addresses It may be you think it is well if you can reach so far as this It may be the Lord will receave and welcome me and therefore I will try Though there is often Faith lurking under such doubtings and though a may be should stir up Men to come yet this is far from the boldness of Faith which glorifies this Throne and him that sitteth on it and which is so becoming and profitable to all that approach it See how an Old Testament-Saint speaks Job 23.3,6 O that I knew where I might find him that I might come even to his Seat that is this Throne I would order my cause before him and fill my mouth with Arguments But cannot God easily stop this Man's Mouth and bring Arguments against Job that he could not answer Yes surely he can but he will not Will he plead against me with his great power No but he will put strength in me He that I plead with will help me to plead and prevail Few Christians know how much Glory is given to God by an enlarged Heart filled with believing expectations of good from him and how a Heart thus enlarged by Faith is fitted and disposed for receaving a large Blessing We easily conceave how sharp Hunger and Thirst strong Desires deep sense of Need and mighty Pleadings and Importunity do prepare the way for great Receavings but we little think how much force is in the bare-like Argument of Faith Psal 16.1 Preserve me O God for in thee do I put my trust Psal 33.22 Let thy merey O Lord be upon us according as we hope in thee Psal 57.1 Be merciful unto me O God be merciful unto me for my Soul trusteth in thee There is a mighty force in such Pleadings of Faith I know no help but in and with thee I expect it from thee and therefore beg it of thee Faith in a Believer never rose so high but the Lord 's gracious Answer went higher Eph. 3.20 Look well to your Faith Believers raise it high use it well and plead by it and plead upon it Blessed Jesus will never cast that Soul into Hell that cannot forbear to entertain in his Heart an expectation of eternal Life from him in the Virtue of his precious Blood and on the Warrant of his gracious Promise He that believeth on him shall never be confounded Never was any neither shall you if you believe It was a great Word of Faith spoke by a dying Man who had been converted in a singular way betwixt his Condemnation and Execution of whom Mr. Fleming speaks in the Fulfilling of the Scriptures his last Words were these spoke with a mighty shout Never Man perished with his Face towards sweet Christ Jesus SERMON IV. 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 IT is one of the Names given to the Godly in the Word that they are the Generation of them that seek the Lord that seek his Face Psal 24.6 And they must be bold and arrogant Pretendâ—…ers to this Name that are guilty of the utter neglect of this Duty Since it is a Duty of so great importance it is needful to know how
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
not turn away from me A most blessed Answer to a dreadful Question ver 4. Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me my Father thou art the guide of my youth An Interest in God by Christ is offered and promised to all in the Gospel plead it by Faith and it is yours 3. We find Instances in the Word and the like the Lord can make again of great Confidence in some at their first coming to the Throne of Grace As the blind man Mark 10.46 end He only heard of Christ's passing by He staid not for Christ's calling him but began to cry out Jesus thou Son of David have mercy on me When many charged him to hold his Peace he cried the more a great deal Thou Son of David have mercy on me Christ was never in my way before and he shall not pass now without shewing mercy on me if crying may prevail And that his crying was in Faith Christ witnesseth ver 52. In all appearance the Woman of Candan was never at the Throne of Grace before Matth. 15.22,28 at least never at Christ's Feet before yet she managed her first Address with that confidence that she not only got her desire but that high Commendation with it O woman great is thy Faith So the Centurion Matth. 8.5,10 But above all Instances is that of the believing Thief on the Cross Luke 23.40,43 Never had the Throne of Grace so little to encourage an Address to it as when the King of Grace was dying on the Cross Never had a Sinner less encouragement to come to the Throne of Grace than when the Saviour was nailed to one Tree and the Sinner to another Marvellous Faith a dying Sinner dying for his Sins imploys a dying Saviour for Salvation Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom How little did Christ nailed to and dying on the Cross look like a King How strong was the Man's Faith to believe that Christ through death was going to his Kingdom And that Christ's gracious thought of him would save him And Jesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise As if our Lord had said this is thy first and thy last Address to me verily it shall be heard Believers do not think how pleasing to the Lord large and high thoughts of the Sufficiency Fulness and Freedom of the Grace that is in Jesus Christ be Believers should devise liberal things and by liberal things they shall stand Isa 32.8 Let a Believer ask and think on the Warrant of the Promise as much as he can the Lord is able to do exceeeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all Ages world without end Amen Eph. 3.20,21 SERMON V. 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 IT is God's great and wonderful Mercy that ever there was a Throne of Grace erected and revealed and that he makes such a Proclamation as this in his Word Let all Men come boldly to it I have spoke unto two things in the Text. 1. Of the Throne of Grace to which we are invited to come 2. Of the Boldness allowed in coming to it The third thing follows to be spoke to the Ground of this Boldness implyed in this Therefore And we must look back to ver 14.15 for the finding the force of this Therefore The Words are Seeing then that we have a great High Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our Infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Let us therefore come boldly The Doctrine I am to handle from this Inference of the Apostle is this That the main ground of all the boldness allowed in coming to the Throne of Grace is in our Lord Jesus Christ The Interest and Room and Place that Christ hath in this Throne of Grace is the ground of all allowed boldness in coming to it When people are secure nothing is more commonly practised by them than fearless rushing into God's Presence Any carnal careless Sinner can when he will bow the Knee and make that he calls a Prayer to God But when Conscience is awakened and Light darts in to make them know somewhat of God and of themselves it is then found a matter of wonderful Mystery and difficulty to perceave any thing that can justly and sufficiently support the confidence of a self-condemned Sinner in his Approaches to God for Mercy Hence it is so often seen that this is the common way of all the ungodly and of such as are ignorant of God in Christ while they are secure and blind and hardened they feel nothing and fear nothing But when Death and Judgment approach and stare them near in the Face and when they begin to think in earnest that they must stand before God and receave their eternal Doom being ignorant of a Mediator and quite estranged from any believing imploying of him they sink in discouragement and Despair And alas How many miserable Sinners are there that are never awakened out of the sleep of security until they are plunged in the very Pit of Despair The Resolution therefore of this Question How a Sinner may draw near to the Throne of Grace with confidence so as he may be welcomed by him that sitteth on it and may receive good things thence is only in this that this Boldness is all in and by Jesus Christ My Work therefore at this time and it is indeed the main Work of Ministers at all times is to declare and shew you how our Lord Jesus Christ is the Ground and Foundation of true confidence in coming to God And herein I would lead you to such things that concern the Lord Jesus as are commonly known usually talked of but rarely duly pondered and improv'd 1. Let us consider the Person of this Mediator by whom we may have access with boldness Eph. 3.12 A wonderful Person The Son of God made Man a marvellous Man by whom all Men may be accepted with God when there is not a Man in the World that can be accepted of God in his own Name Yet all that come in Christ's Name are accepted Our Lord Jesus Christ is God's own Son the Son of God tabernacling in the Flesh God manifest in the Flesh The brightness of the Father's Glory and the express image of his Person Heb. 1.3 There is one God and one Mediator betwixt God and Men the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time 1 Tim. 2.6,7 In due time it will be seen what this Ransom was paid for and for whom for every one of the Ransomed shall get
their Liberty and Inheritance in God's Time and Way People commonly profess the Faith of this Truth That our Mediator is God and Man but how little is it improved by Faith We do not consider him how great a Person he is and how fit for us Heb. 3.1,2 Such as have any serious thoughts of God and of themselves and they are in a forlorn State that have none find a Necessity of a Mediator when they consider the strictness of his Justice the Power of his Wrath the perfect Purity and Holiness of his Nature compared with the sinfulness and vileness of their own Nature Hearts and Lives But there is another deeper Thought of God that will discover as great necessity of a Mediator and that is of his Greatness with God is terrible Majesty with God is unsearchable Glory How can there be a bold and acceptable Approach to him of whom we eannot frame a right sutable Thought How is it avoidable but that all our Worship must be to an Vnknown God for no man hath seen God at anytime John 1.18 Here comes in the Mediator Jesus Christ who is not only a Screen betwixt Justice and us but is a Glass wherein we may behold the glory of God This glory is only to be beheld in the Face or Person of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 All other Views of God's glory are either confounding or but vain unprofitable Notions All the Speculations of the Pagans that polished the dim Light of Nature and all the curious Studies of some called Christians about the Nature Being Properties and Attributes of God are nothing but pretty pieces of Philosophy there is nothing of sound Theology in those Thoughts unless they be all stinted limited directed to and determined by that discovery that God makes of himself to us in and by his Son Jesus Christ The Mediation then of Jesus Christ is not only an Argument which and on which we may plead with God but is the Mean by which only we must approach to God and the Light wherein we see and know savingly the God we worship He knew the Way best who is the Way to the Father and said No man cometh to the Father but by me And did answer Philip's weighty and very natural Desire Show us the Father and it sufficeth thus Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me Philip He that hath seen me hath seen the Father And how sayest thou shew us the Father John 14.6,7,8,9 They all Worship an Idol or wander in a perfect Maze and Labyrinth that seek God out of Jesus Christ No where else is he to be sought or found but as a consuming fire God of old put his Name at Jerusalem to it they must come with their solemn Sacrifices when afar off they must look to it as Dan. 6.10 When they are bid remember the Lord afar off it 's added and let Jerusalem come into your mind Jer. 51.50 Now Jerusulem Temple Altar Holy of Holies Mercy-Seat Priests Sacrifices c. were all but Shadows of Jesus Christ Under the New Testament when Christ is come the Name of God is in him and all Worship and Approaches are to be made to God dwelling in this true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man Heb. 8.2 2. Let us consider our Lord's Office of High Priest So the Apostle calls him our great High Priest and we have him ver 14. This is a great ground of boldness in dealing with God that we have Christ for a High-Priest He was of God's own choosing and calling he is not of our choosing but he is for our using Should that Man be called a Christian who hath no use for this great High-Priest High-Priests were taken from among men and ordained for men in things pertaining to God Heb. 5.1 Consider the Honour of this Office to Christ and its usefulness to his People He glorified not himself to be made an High-Priest but he that said to him ver 5. Christ's Offices of King and Prophet carry visible plain glory in them But to be made an High-Priest especially when he is to be both Priest Altar and Sacrifice seem to have no glory but abasement But if we look to the inside of this Office it excels in glory What unconceavable glory is it to Christ to be the Reconciler of all things to take up so honourably the grand Quarrel betwixt angry Heaven and sinful Earth to purge our Sins by the Sacrifice of himself and then sit down at the Right Hand of the Majesty on high Heb. 1.3 To offer a Sacrifice in the Virtue whereof an innumerable Company out of all Nations Tongues and Languages are redeemed and justified and glorified for which he shall be eternally praised in Heaven by all the happy Inhabitants of that blessed place Rev. 5.9 As for the usefulness of this Office to his people I shall only name two things 1. In this Office he manageth all our Business with God such as we could never have done our selves and must be eternally undone if it were not done for us To satisfie Justice fulfil the Law and bring us in a sure Title to the Inheritance of Heaven 2. By Him we offer all our spiritual Services and have them presented by him for acceptance Heb. 13.15 We must do all in his Name Col. 3.17 3. Let us consider what our Lord did when he was on Earth And thence we have great ground for Confidence in coming to the throne of grace This the Apostle hath in his Eye ver 15. and ch 5 7. Two things I would take some notice of on this point 1. He had the same things for substance as Errands to the throne of grace that we have 2. That he did ply the throne of grace as we should Only premitting this that there is but a likeness in what he did to what we should do at the throne of grace and that likeness consistent with manifold differences as we shall regard 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ had the same things and the chief of them that are to us Errands to the throne of grace I shall instance in some of them and answer an Objection 1. Our Lord had Affliction for an Errand and more of it than any of his people He was afflicted yea smitten of God and afflicted Isa 53.4 He was oppressed and afflicted ver 7. If any man be afflicted let him pray Jam. 5.13 When Christ was afflicted he prays 2. Our Lord was deserted Blessed be his Name for it We should rejoice that he had not a life without Clouds The bitterest and saddest Desertion that ever a Believer was under is nothing to what Christ met with when he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me None are so much to be pityed as a Saint under Desertion When Affliction is heavy and pressing if all be clear above tho there be Clouds round about yet if the Lord smile from Heaven a Christian's Case is not much
a Divine eternal Person I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Amen They that saw him dead could hardly believe he should ever live again and they that saw him alive had need of Faith to believe he had ever been dead He asserts both and we should believe both Since death entered into the World by Sin never was there a Man more truly really and fully dead than the Man Christ was who died for our Sins And there is no Man on Earth more truly alive than the Man Christ is now a living Man in Heaven He in his rising gave proof of his Divine Power He was crucified through weakness yet he liveth by the power of God 2 Cor. 13.4 There was never such an appearance of Weakness in the Man Jesus as when he expired and lay cold dead in his Grave Never did sin reign so unto death nor the Law 's Power more appear than in slaying the second Adam As great and greater was the appearance of his Divine Power in his rising again John 10.17 Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life that I may take it again Christ died that he might rise again He went amongst the dead that he might rise from the dead ver 18. No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again This commandment have I received of my Father Christ was bid both die and rise again Blessed be the Commander and blessed be the Obeyer for our everlasting life is in this Commandment John 12.50 Never any but Christ had this power of his own Life We must yield our Life when God calls for it and till then we must keep it and when that Call comes we must obey We die because we can live no longer and because our times are in God's hand And when it shall please the Lord to raise up our bodies at the Resurrection we receave our life again but have no power to take it up again till the powerful Word of Christ come Arise from your Graves And that Word gives us our life again None but Christ had power of his own life both to lay it down and to take it again We dare we can we should do neither but only obey and submit to the Sovereign Will of our High Landlord at whose Pleasure we are Tennants in these clay cottages 2. Christ's Resurrection was a Demonstration of the Acceptance of the Sacrifice of himself That the Blood he shed and Sacrifice he offered was savoury and acceptable with God that the Debt was fully paid and the Payment accepted when the Surety was discharged of his Prison Therefore we find it so often written that God raised him from the dead Acts 2.24 and 32. even when it 's said that it was not possible he should be holden of death Death and the Grave are strong and cruel Song 8.6 They have taken or will take all Mankind Prisoners and are able to keep them Only they took one Prisoner Jesus Christ who was too hard too strong for them Death had dominion over him but for a little while and by his own consent Rom. 6.9 but it hath no more dominion over him But he hath dominion over it I have the Keys of hell and of death Rev. 1.18 Courage Believers in and Heart-Lovers of Jesus Christ Death and Hell are indeed dreadful Jayls but as long as Christ keeps the Keys and that will be till he cast them both into the Lake of fire Rev. 20.14 no Believer shall ever be locked up in them If Hell were searched never so narrowly amongst all the condemned Prisoners there no Man or Woman could be found in it in whose Heart there was never one spark of true Faith in or Love to the Lord Jesus Heb. 13.20 God brought again from the dead the great Shepherd of the Sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant Christ also is often said to rise by his own power Christ put forth his Divine Power in his Resurrection the Father declared his full satisfaction with his Undertaking of the Work and Payment of the Price of Redemption by discharging of him in and by his Resurrection The Angels Work was only to roll away the Stone but by his own divine Power his blessed Soul did take possession of his dead Body and he did rise up immediately a truly living Man And this he did by his Father's Leave and Will and the Angels served only as Sergeants and Officers to unlock the Prison-doors of the Grave For Christ could easily have removed that Stone by his own power as he did greater things in his Resurrection No wonder the Apostle Paul made it one of his great aims in Christianity to know the power of Christ's Resurrection Phil. 3.10 It is not to know the History of his Resurrection nor is it to know the Mystery of his Resurrection but it is to know the Power of it the same Power that Christ raised himself from the dead by is put forth and no less is needful for the raising of a dead Sinner The same Power that raised the Saviour dead for Sin is needful for raising a Sinner dead in Sin Rom. 4.5 Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into Death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we should also walk in newness of life Eph. 1.19 There is an exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead c. How loath are Men to admit this that the saving quickening of a Sinner requires the same divine Power that quickened the dead Saviour All saving Conversions are the Fruits of Christ's Resurrection and of Almighty Power 3. Christ's Resurrection is the Pledge and Earnest of our Resurrection and of eternal Life How great things doth Paul build upon it 1 Cor. 15. He proves our Resurrection from Christ's Resurrection He argues for Christ's Resurrection by enumerating of Absurdities that must follow on the contrary As ver 14. If Christ be not risen then is our preaching vain and your faith is also vain ver 15. We the Apostles are found false Witnesses of God ver 17. Then you are yet in your sins ver 18. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished ver 19. Then we are of all men most miserable But now Christ is risen from the dead and become the first-fruits of them that slept ver 20. For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead The first Adam was made a living soul ver 45. but when he became a sinner he became a killing Head to all his Posterity Rom. 5.12 The second Adam is a quickening spirit and gives eternal Life to all his Seed And he took possession of this eternal Life in
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
sense of his own great misery at least at sometimes 2 To come for mercy in Faith is to believe the Fitness and Sutableness of God's mercy to our misery Here many stumble wofully Their Question is Am I fit for mercy when it should rather be Is his mercy fit for me And this Question every sensible Soul can answer the other none in Heaven or Earth can answer If any man think himself fit for mercy of all men that man is most unfit for it and farthest from receaving of it But every sensible Soul will say Though I be unfit for and unworthy of mercy yet mercy is very fit for me Is there pardoning mercy with God who is it so fit for as a guilty vile sinner Is there saving mercy with him Who is it so fit for as for a lost man as I am Come to the Throne of Grace for mercy in Faith of this mercy is fit for me exactly though I be utterly unworthy of it They that think they are fit for mercy will never get it nor indeed can ask it But they that think they are needy of it and that it is fit for them will both ask it and get it 3. To come to the Throne of Grace in Faith for mercy is to believe that there is all good will in him that sits on this Throne to give and shew mercy It is implyed in the Text Let us come to obtain mercy But what if when we come he will not shew mercy That is an ungodly Supposition mischievous to our selves and reflecting upon God He hath mercy in abundance to give he delights in giving he never refused mercy to any that came for it he hath promised he never will and why should men harbour such a suspicion that we may come and not obtain Benhadad could adventure on a report that the Kings of Israel were merciful Kings and yet Ahab was one of the worst of them 1 Kings 20.31 And shall not sinners come upon a more sure Report of the mercifulness of the King on this Throne of Grace It is on this Truth of the Lord 's good will to shew mercy that our Faith so readily halts Many think they ought not to believe this good will to shew mercy I would have you consider some instances of Christ's dealing with Sinners John 4.10 Jesus answered and said unto her If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee Give me to drink thou wouldest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water Where we are to regard 1. To whom these Words were spoke by our Lord to a Samaritan a vile Creature as to the former course of her life a blind ignorant sottish Sinner that was guilty of refusing Christ a Cup of Water the greatest Sin she ever committed in her Life 2. What our Lord saith to her If thou knewest me thou wouldest have asked if thou hadst asked I would have given thee living Water And before he had done he made her know him made her ask and gave her of his living Water But that I mainly observe from the Word of Christ is a Truth which few will believe when they hear it even few Believers themselves will believe it as they ought That Christ is more ready to give begging Sinners eternal Life than they can be to give Christ himself a Cup of cold Water Our Lord saith it but men will not believe it Another of Christ's Words is in Luke 11.13 If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your Children how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him Christ makes the comparison favourably ver 11 12. Of a Child's asking Necessaries will a Parent refuse that desire and give what is hurtful But consider our Lord's design in this saying It is plainly to encourage to seeking and the Argument he useth is from the greater Love and readiness in God to give the best things than earthly Parents have to give their Children the Necessaries of this life The preference is not here given to God's greater Riches and fulness than that of parents who may have their Children beg of them what they have not to give as in Lam. 4.4 But it is a preference given to God's greater willingness to give Now who believes this and makes the just Application to their own Case and say confidently The Lord is much more willing to give me saving mercy if I ask it than I am to give a bit of bread to maintain the life of the nearest and dearest Relation I have in the World Appl. I shall only add a few Words of Application 1. There is no principle of natural Religion engraven more deeply on the Hearts of men than that there is misery in men and mercy in God and that God's mercy only can relieve men under this misery This runs through the whole World in all Ages and will continue as long as sense of misery is in men and any Notions of God are preserved in the minds of men And these Sentiments are not to be defaced Attempts of Atheists are damnable to themselves but vain Efforts against the Rock of Ages 2. Notwithstanding of this God's true mercy in Jesus Christ is the greatest Riddle Offence and Stumbling-block to all natural men God's mercy they like well enough and would have applied to their own relief under misery But God's only and true mercy in Christ they cannot away with That there is no mercy with God for Sinners but what flows through the Blood of Jesus Christ That God's Love should appear in sending his own Son under the charge of mens Sin and under the smart and feeling of their miseries That as God shews mercy only this way so men that would have it must only seek it this way the World never did never can never will understand nor relish it nor betake themselves to it They would have mercy to come to them another way and so seek it and look for it in vain and perish by the miss of it 3. There is no Address made to God more honourable to God more acceptable to him and more becoming a miserable Sinner than an Address to God for his mercy It is his Glory to be the Sovereign Lord of mercy it is his Honour to be attended with the Addresses of miserable men it is his delight to dispense mercy to the Addressors What is more becoming God than to shew mercy and what can be more fit than that a miserable Sinner should beg his mercy 4. There is no Provocation more common than sinful ways of begging God's mercy I shall briefly instance in a few Many profane careless Creatures have this Word frequently in their mouths God be merciful to me who yet have no more sense either of God or of themselves of his mercy or of their misery than the Ground they go on This is a gross taking of God's Name in vain Undue Addresses to God
your Consciences well resolved in this main Case that you may be able to give a peremptory answer The Importance of this Question is very obvious Can a Man retire within and look up to God and consider this I am a miserable Sinner in my self as all are nothing but God's special mercy can relieve me And not think it a matter of vast consequence to know whether he hath obtained this mercy or no Wo to them that never asked the Question and they are but in a sorry case that cannot answer it I would propose a few things to enforce the Duty of trying your selves in this matter 1. It is mercy you have been seeking If ever you made any fashion of Prayer surely it was mercy you sought most of you if not all pray at least sometimes Now whenever you pray unless you be wofully formal and stupid your Consciences must tell you it is mercy you seek Have you long and often begged God's mercy and will ye never enquire whether or not you have got it None ask in earnest but they will try how they speed There is no surer and plainer Argument of trifling in Prayer than when men are careless what they get by Prayer We would be called of the Generation of them that seek God's Face and shall we not enquire if we have found him Our Lord bids us ask that we may receave and shall we ask and not think of receaving nor try if we have receaved 2. A great many round you have obtained mercy therefore it becomes you to enquire whether you have obtained it If the mercy of God were so very rarely dispensed that none if any in an Age did partake of it this neglect would be a little more excusable But when mercy falls round about thee when one on thy Right Hand obtains Mercy and another on thy Left Hand obtains Mercy when this Mercy falls on some of the Family thou lives in on some of the Congregation thou hears in when this mercy falls on one that hath the same natural Parents that thou hast Will none of these things make you ask Have I also obtained mercy We find our Lord aggravating the misery of the damned by their seeing of the blessedness of the saved Luke 13.28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you your selves thrust out A most dreadful Passage Christ is telling Men that were to be excluded from Heaven what they would think say and do in that dismal Case Prevent this Misery in time by enquiring whether you have obtained mercy And do so the rather that ye may see others partaking of this Mercy When you see the saving mercy of God sought and obtained by others it should provoke you greatly not to envy them their share but to desire a share of your own for there is enough and to spare And the Lord doth shew mercy to some on purpose that he may encourage others to come and ask and obtain So Paul tells wherefore he got his Mercy 1 Tim. 1.16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first or the chief Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting There were other ends Christ had in shewing mercy to Paul The Lord shewed him mercy that he might be saved eternally he shewed him mercy that he might be an able Minister of the new Testament 2 Cor. 3.6 and a successful Apostle 1 Cor. 15.10 and the Church of Christ hath good Cause now for many Ages to bless our Lord Jesus for that rich mercy which that chosen Vessel obtained and was filled with But the Apostle in that place takes notice of another design of Christ's in his mercy to him and that was to set up Paul as a Pattern and Copy of the Freedom Riches and Power of saving mercy And Christ can when he will write another Copy like Paul and somewhat like it he doth in all that he calls savingly Eph. 2.4 Take in this Argument many obtain mercy and why not I none deserve it yet many have it None deserve it less and need it more than I Why then not I If you see the Lord shewing mercy to others and you care not for mercy to your selves how can you expect it or think you have got it 3. Inquire whether you have receaved God's saving mercy because this mercy is brought so near you that it must either be receaved or refused there is no midst No Man doth neither no man doth both All that have the offer of God's saving mercy in the Gospel do and must necessarily either receave or reject it This should make people inquire the more narrowly whether they have obtained mercy If ye have not obtained it ye have refused it Acts 13.46 It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing you put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life lo we turn to the Gentiles This last is a strange Phrase I am perswaded in the Lord that no man shall ever get everlasting life that thinks himself worthy of it It is always to be sought by us always given by the Lord and always taken by the Receavers of it as an Alms of Grace for Christ's sake Nothing surely was further from Paul's mind than to have these foolish Jews to count themselves deserving of eternal life or that on the account either of their Priviledges or Works they did or could deserve Salvation at the hand of God But all the Apostle meant was this Everlasting Life is brought near to you in this Word of the Gospel you put the Word from you thereby you declare you are unwilling to receave everlasting life and God counts you unworthy of the Offer of it and we will carry it to others as he tells other Unbelieving Jews at Rome Acts 28.28 Be it known to you that the Salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles and that they will hear it Now for resolving of this Question whether you have obtained special saving mercy or not This seems easily determinable There is so great a difference betwixt that State of sin and misery that mercy finds Men in when it first visits them and that State that mercy brings them to That we are apt to think the change may be easily known See Eph. 2.1,18 Yet there are so many things that obstruct both them that have obtained mercy from owning it and them that have not obtained it from acknowledging their want of it of which I shall not now speak that searching is needful and for your help in that work I offer these few plain Marks 1. A high value of special saving mercy above common mercy is a good sign of one that hath obtained saving mercy There is a special mercy of God and there is a common mercy Special mercy
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
and not impoverish the Giver What can such as I beg of such a God as he is but mercy His Name is Mercy my Name is Misery I would have my misery relieved by his mercy and his mercy glorified in my relief 4. Hope in his mercy Psal 147.11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him in those that hope in his mercy Psal 130.7 Let Israel hope in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy It is from the Devil for whom there is no mercy that any of the most miserable out of Hell are tempted to think there is no mercy with God for them He envies Men God's mercy he doth not only tempt to sin but also to security in it till the day of mercy be past If God awaken a sinner to see his need of mercy in time Satan tempts them to think that it is out of time In such temptations he acts most like himself a reprobate damned Spirit and in managing of them he hath great advantages from his own Craft and Malice and Men's just deserving of Wrath. Look on all such Thoughts as from that Adversary and treat them accordingly When you beg mercy look for it Expect to obtain it when you would lay hold on it The Lord will never keep back his saving mercy from a sinner that would have it as his life When you plead for mercy for mercy's sake hope to prevail and that will help you to plead better So much for this Exhortation Will ye go home and do so Will you study more your misery and the greatness of his mercy and ask and plead for it more earnestly There is never better fruit of Preaching than when the Hearers are sent away hungering and thirsting after the Lord's mercy SERMON VIII 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 I Have spoke to the first of the Blessings to be got at the Throne of Grace which we should come for Obtaining of mercy The second is the finding of Grace to help in time of need This Expression finding of Grace is probably borrowed from the Old Testament wherein the bestowing of Favour is usually so expressed We find it in Mens Pleadings with one another So Jacob to Esau Gen. 32.5 and Gen. 33.8 These are to find grace in the sight my Lord. And he pleads upon it ver 10. If I have found grace in thy sight then receave my present at my hand for therefore I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God and thou wast pleased with me Jacob had seen God's Face that morning and had found grace in his sight and he remembers it when he finds grace in the sight of his angry Brother So we find the Phrase used in dealing with God by Moses Exod. 33.12,13 Yet thou hast said I know thee by name and thou hast sound grace in my sight Now therefore I pray thee If I have found grace in thy sight shew me now thy way that I may know thee that I may find grace in thy sight The first thing I would remark here is the Connexion betwixt these two Blessings and Errands Obtaining of Mercy and Finding of Grace Mercy and Grace are joined together by God and are not to be put asunder by Man Many would separate them they would be content to obtain mercy but they care not so much for his grace But such are only profane ignorant persons that know neither God nor themselves nor his Mercy nor his Grace The Lord will not give Mercy without Grace nor Grace without Mercy all that receave either receave both and all that would have either must ask both and none can ask either aright but he that asks both This Grace we are called to come to the Throne of Grace for the finding of is specified from its great advantage and usefulness It is Grace to help in time of need The Words in the Original are Grace for seasonable opportune help It is the nature of this Grace that it is helpful its helpfulness mainly appears in a time of need A time of need will come this Grace is to be asked before that time come it is to be waited upon till the time of need come and used when it comes The Truth to be spoke to is this plain one That all that hear of God's Offer of Grace should come to God to ask it to get it to find it Men should come to God's Throne of Grace for Grace for themselves They should come to God in Christ Jesus for the Grace of God in and by Christ Jesus This is a Truth so bright in its own evidence that there is no need to confirm it What hath been said of coming to obtain mercy is equally binding unto coming to find Grace Two things then I would speak unto at this time 1. What is this Grace we are called to come to the Throne of Grace for 2. What finding of Grace is what specialty is there in this expression It is certain never did a Man find Grace before Grace found him Grace is always the first finder But the sense of it and our knowledge of our having found it follows after 1. What is this Grace we are to come to the Throne of Grace for finding of We have need to know this distinctly The reason why many are so confused and dark and barren in their Prayers is because they know not what is to be got by Prayer If we had a a clear knowledge of the full extent of this Grace that is to be dispensed at this Throne of Grace we should quickly know what to ask and find matter for asking continually This Grace of God that we are invited to come to the throne of grace for finding of comes under three different Considerations 1. As it is in the Fountain from whence it flows 2. As it is in the Channel in which it runs 3. As it is in the Vessels that do receave it 1. Grace considered as in the Fountain from whence it flows is Grace in God The Scriptures take notice of the special Interest that each of the Three blessed Persons of the Godhead have in the dispensing of Grace We find the Father called the God of all Grace 1 Pet. 5.10 and there Christ is also named and the Holy Ghost implyed The Father the God of all Grace is the Caller he calleth us to his eternal Glory by Christ Jesus we are fitted for the possession of it by the Grace of the Holy Ghost Our Lord Jesus Christ is oft spoke of as the Fountain of Grace John 1.14 Full of Grace and Truth and that we might know that this Fountain-fulness in him is for Communication ver 16. And out of his Fulness have all we receaved and grace for grace The Holy Ghost is called the spirit of grace Heb. 10.29 of grace and supplication Zech. 12.10 Of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 When
we come to the throne of grace for grace in this Consideration we come for the manifestation and communication of grace from the Fountain according to his Will and our Need for the carrying on of our Salvation to the Praise of his grace It is to be observed in that Apostolick Wish which by a good Custom is made the concluding Blessing in Christian Assemblies 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all Amen That there is grace in the Fathers love and grace in the Communion of the Holy Ghost as well as there is Love and Communion in the Grace of our Lord Jesus For grace is in all divine Favour and in all its Fruits freely bestowed on the undeserving Sons of Men. 2. Grace may be considered as it is in the Channel in which it runs in the Way and Means of its conveyance usually called the means of grace and this is the Gospel It 's true that this form of speech means of grace is not a Scriptural Phrase though it be usual with us But by it we mean nothing but such means as are hallowed by Divine Institution and backed with a gracious Promise of bestowing grace on the right Users thereof the main of which means is the Gospel it self called by Paul in Acts 20.24 the Gospel of the grace of God and ver 32. the word of his grace And in Tit. 2.11 the Gospel is called simply the grace of God If you take away the Doctrine of Free grace you take away the Gospel It is but an empty Shadow a false Name to call that Doctrine Gospel that is not the Word of his grace The grace of God in the means is universally offered to all that heaâ— the Gospel but the Blessing it self is sovereignly dispensed like grace There is ground sufficient in the Promise for Faith in waiting on the Lord in the use of his Appointments But yet the Lord never used any outward mean that was always effectual to all them that had it The greatest of any outward means that ever Men were under was the personal ministry of Christ yet all his Hearers did not believe yea but a few did John 6.26 c. What a heavenly Discourse doth Christ deliver but what was the effect of it ver 66. From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him The Lord hath wisely ordered it thus that the means the Channel his grace runs in are at some times and to some Persons filled with his grace and at other times are but empty Pipes that the means themselves may not be doated on and that the Fountain may still be depended on When then we come to the throne of grace for Grace as in the means we come begging that the Lord who hath appointed the means and keeps the Blessing of them in his own Hand would fill the means with his Grace and fill our Souls with the communication of that grace in our use of these means 3. Grace is considered as it is in the Vessels that receave it in Men that partake of it And here it will be needful to distinguish The grace of God as receaved comes under a very notable distinction of common grace and saving grace or special Somewhat hath been hinted of the same distinction betwixt common and special saving mercy But of this distinction as to grace receaved I would speak more fully Common Grace is so called not because it is ordinary and usual for in bad times it is rare enough but because it is not saving It 's most likely that in such happy times which we cannot now boast of but only hope for when saving grace is bestowed on many common grace is dispensed more frequently also That there is such a thing as common Grace is as certain as it is that there is such a Creature if I may so call him as a Hypocrite in the Church or in the World For an Hypocrite is nothing else but an unrenewed sinner painted over with more or less common Grace And to Men that see the out-side of others only he may appear like a true Christian I would give some particular Instances of this common grace 1. There is a common enlightening grace a common Illumination Heb. 6.4 and 10.26 the Apostle supposeth that there is an enlightening and a receaving a knowledge of the truth that may be where a fatal Apostacy may follow The Lord may give the Light of his Word and in and by that Light may dart in some clear Beams of Gospel-Truth on such that are led no further It is far from being true that all knowing Heads have sound Hearts There may be and often is much clear Light in the mind about points of saving Truth when there is no Sense no Savor no Faith in the Heart Acts 26. We find Paul speaking in the most noble Assembly that it 's like he ever spoke in A King and Queen and a Roman Governour greater than both In this August Assembly Paul though a Prisoner in Bonds remembers his being an Apostle and preacheth Christ and takes Christ's grace in converting him for his Text. ver 24. When he is thus speaking Festus said with a loud voice Paul thou art beside thy self much learning hath made thee mad At the same time ver 28. Agrippa said unto Paul Almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian This was a great deal better then Festus's Word yet a poor Word in it self It spoke some glancing of ineffectual Light on his mind An Almost Christian and no more is but a Sinner almost saved and no more or one that is no Christian and never saved at all 2. There is common awakening grace The Lord sometimes alarms the Consciences of the Ungodly and may raise a great Sense of Sin in such as are never forgiven and fears of Hell yea a fore-tast of Hell in some that never escape it I have sinned saith Pharaoh I have sinned saith Saul I have sinned saith Judas in betraying innocent blood Alas poor wretch it had been better to have confess'd his Sin against his Master to his Master than to his Murderers Felix trembled when Paul preached It was grace in God to come so near to him and great Power was put forth What else could make such a great Prince as Felix was to tremble at the Words of a poor Prisoner standing before him in his Chains Awakening grace is but common grace The Law wounds many a Conscience that the Gospel doth not heal because not applyed to No Wound can the Law make which the Gospel cannot heal Boast not of your Wounds by the Law unless you can tell how you were healed There is no cure for a Conscience wounded by Sin and the Law but the Blood of Jesus shed for Sin Did ye come to it Heb. 12.24 Did he apply it to you Were you cured of your Wounds before ye went to him
that he waters and carefully looks after When a Believer comes to the Throne of grace for this grace he comes to beg that the new Creation in him may be visited refreshed and strengthened and brought to Perfection They that have no planting of Christ in them want this Errand to the Throne of Grace that Believers daily come upon So much for the first thing What this grace is 2. What is the finding of this grace why the Apostle useth this Phrase different from the former about mercy That was obtaining of mercy this is finding of grace Mercy and Grace are near a-kin and so is obtaining and finding Besides the Hebrew Phrase remarked already these things I would note in it 1. I conceave that this Phrase of finding grace doth imply the Duty of seeking it According to our Lord 's own direction Matth. 7.7 Ask and it shall be given you Seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you Where and in ver 8. our Lord gives three Commands to one Duty of Prayer under three several Names and six Promises for Encouragement under three different Names also redoubled 2. This form of speaking points forth the giving and bestowing of Grace His Grace and Favour is what is given to bestowed on and enjoyed by them that come to the throne of grace When the old World was exceeding bad all stark naught and but one good Man in it you must needs think that it was a bad World then and that was Noah Gen. 6.8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This Word we should regard the more that it is the first place where the grace of God is mentioned in Scripture Thee have ' I seen righteous before me in this generation saith the Lord to him Gen. 7.1 And how this Man came by his Righteousness see in Heb. 11.7 By Faith Noe being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark for the saving of his house by the which he condemned the World and became Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith Who but the Spirit of God by Paul who I think was the Pen-man of this Epistle would have found the Righteousness of Faith in Noah's building of the Ark Many nay most of Men called Christians cannot see this Righteousness that is by Faith in the Gospel it self There was a brave inheritance and Estate in this Righteousness of Faith secured and revealed in the first Gospel Gen. 3.15 Of this Estate Abel and Enoch were possessed and Noah became that is declared himself an Heir of it by his Faith and the Fruits of it The whole World had the Warning Noah from God the World by Noah all were equally concerned in the danger Noah preached it to them and God's Spirit was with him striving with them 120 Years But not one Man found grace but he alone A prodigious depth of Judgment and Mercy Such a Man aâ— Noah preached so long to a world of the ungodly as 2 Pet. 2.5 and not one single Man or Woman believed He only found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Jer. 31.2 Thus saith the Lord the people that were left of the Sword found grace in the wilderness even Israel when I went to cause him to rest It is a great blessing to find grace any where but to find grace in the Wilderness to find grace where and when the Sword of God's Anger and Justice is destroying multitudes is heightened grace Grace falls still on Remuants Justice and Wrath seizeth on the Bulk and whole Piece Rom. 11.5 A Remnant according to the election of grace ver 7. The election obtained it that is grace and the rest were blinded and hardened The more be left and the fewer be savingly taken the greater is the grace shewed to those sew and the more happy are they that find it 3. In this Phrase of finding grace there may this be conceaved if you will understand it rightly the Casualty of the getting of grace There is no such thing as Casualty to God He always knows when and where and on whom to bestow his grace But the bestowing of his grace is a meer Casualty to all Men both to them that receave it and to others that look on My meaning is grace comes unlooked for undeserved undestred unexpected in its first visit especially So that all Receavers of it may say as Hagar the only good Word we have of that Bond-woman Gen 16.13 And she called the name of the Lord that spake to her Thou God seest me happy are they that can name God from his grace and mercy to them David calls him the God of my mercy Psal 59.10,17 for she said Have I also here looked after him that seeth me The Lord hath had his Eye on me for good when I was not thinking on him Grace always comes at first by surprize How many are there that attend diligently on all the means of grace and never find grace When some that come but by accident as we think grace finds them and they find it This is the Treasure hid in the Field of the Gospel blessed is he that finds it Matth. 13.44 Many dig in this Field and never find the Treasure in it Men should use means Prov. 8.33,34 Ministers should design wisely to catch Souls and labour painfully in it but the Lord in his Application of his grace passeth by many that we would fainest have saved and lights on others we never thought on And let him do with his own grace as seemeth him good Little thought little Zacheus of Salvation when he climb'd the Tree to see Jesus pass by Luke 19. If Christ had not call'd him down the poor rich Publican was as like as any in the Company to have let Christ pass on in his Journey When Saul was going his wicked Journey Acts 9. who would have thought that grace would have fallen on him as it did All Partakers of grace that can remember its first Visit can witness that their finding of grace was a meer Casualty to them they thought not of it they sought it not yet it found them and was found by them Isa 65.1 I am sought of them that asked not for me I am found of them that sought me not Seeking is our Duty and finding is our Mercy but both right seeking and gracious finding are singly owing to his grace The Apostle after a deep Discourse of the Sovereignty of God in dispensing his grace saith Rom. 9.30,31 What shall we say then that the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have attained to righteousness even the righteousness which is of Faith But Israel which followed after the law of righteousness hath not attained to the law of righteousness The cause of Israel's missing Righteousness he gives ver 32. Because they have sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law for they did not build and believe on Christ as a Foundation but
Bones a Consumption is coming on upon his Soul and the holy flesh is passed from him as Jer. 11.15 The Savour and Relish the Soul finds in approaching to the throne of grace is the surest Test of Soul-prospering In this I appeal to the Consciences of all that ever knew Communion with God Is it not best with you every way when you are most with him Do not your Burdens grow light when you cast them on the Lord Is not your Path plain when his Candle shineth upon you And doth it not shine when you are much in his Company Difficulties evanish and hard Work grows easie when the Lord is with you and you with him See how the Apostle joyns things together Jude 20,21 But ye beloved building up your selves upon your most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life Your Faith your Love your Hope are all to be acted in Prayer and are cherished by Prayer and strengthened by the Answers of Prayer Would you have plenty of the Grace of God Here is a plain and sure way taught you by the Apostle and he joyns himself with them he exhorts Let us come to the Throne of Grace that we may find Grace SERMON IX HEB. IV. 16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help intime of need THE Gracious Call and Invitation contained in this Text hath been often spoke to An Invitation frequently deliver'd in the preaching of the Gospel and as frequently flighted by most of the hearers of the Gospel It is such an Invitation as if it were delivered in the last day to the miserable Company on Christ's left hand we may think what complying with it would there be if there were a Throne of Grace set up then for but one hour where mercy and grace might be had in that time of need Think ye not that there would be coming and crouding and crying and roaring for mercy and grace but that day will afford no such Priviledge Now you have it and the Lord knows and next to him your Consciences know how this is entertained What this Throne of Grace is what coming to it is what Boldness in coming is allowed what ground there is for this Boldness have been spoke to The last thing in this verse what Blessings may be had by coming hath been spoke to also Of the mercy to be obtained and of the grace to be found Of this last I have handled two things 1. What is the grace that is to be found 2. What the Phrase of finding grace imports There are two things more that remain in the Text. 1. The Helpfulness of this grace We are called to come to find grace to help 2. The Seasonableness of this help of grace It is grace to help in time of need So our Translation carries it and pretty well The Original runs in fewer Words grace unto seasonable help or Help in due season Of these two I would speak at this time 1. Of the helpfulness of Grace God's grace is a most helpful blessing 1. It is promised by him that gives it as help Isa 41.10 Fear thou not for I am with thee Be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Alas who hath Faith enough to draw at this deep Well of Salvation Every Word hath rich Food for Faith Whenever God would engage the Heart of a poor Creature to a dependance on him he doth it by promising to be that to them and to do that for them that none besides himself can be or do No Man can truly act Faith on God for that he thinks a Creature can do for him You never believe soundly but when you look to and wait on God for that that is impossible utterly to the whole Creation to give to you or to do for you 2. Again we find the Saints beg God's help Whenever they come to God in earnest they come to this Lord help for all other help is vain There is no more common Prayer in the Old and New Testament and to this day than Prayer for the Lord's helping grace All our Prayers in their greatest variety center in this help us by thy grace The great Believer Matth. 15.25 Came and worshipped him saying Lord help me A short Prayer but mighty and full of Faith A weaker Man in Faith than this Woman Mark 9.22 Have compassion on us and help us praying for himself and his Son ver 24. He prays for himself alone Lord help my Vnbelief There is no Believer on Earth who may not daily pray this Prayer 3. All the People of God find the helpfulness of his grace All that seek it find it and all that find it find the helpfulness of his Grace I would in a few things shew the helpfulness of Grace 1. The Grace of God helps always to purpose and effectually This grace helped Paul to labour more abundantly than all the Apostles 1 Cor. 15.10 I say not that this is always sensible to the Receaver but only that grace given is always really effectual for the end for which it is given It is not given in vain 2. The grace of God helps universally there is no case wherein it is not helpful As without Christ we can do nothing John 15.5 So through him strengthening we may do all things or any thing Phil. 4.13 A Christian can imagine can foresee no Condition no Tryal no Difficulty wherein the Lord's grace cannot help him So the Text runs that we may find grace to help in time of need Let the time be what it will and the need what it will grace can help in it It were a sad weakness of Faith for any Christian to say I am in that condition that the grace of God cannot help me in His grace is Omnipotent 3. Grace helps sweetly I mean that it doth not help as an External help but as an Internal As for a familiar Similitude A weak and weary or lame Person may be helped by the strength of another or by being carried but this is but external help This weak or lame person is helped far better when his Infirmity is removed and new strength given to him so that he can pleasantly walk and run Psal 138.3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strenth in my Soul It s true the grace of God wherein our strength consists is without us and in him but it is inwardly applyed to us when strength is found and felt Therefore is it that Believers not only find by the dispensings of of his helping grace an effectual strength for their Work and Duty but a great deal of sweetness and easiness in the exerting of that gracious help So Psal 119.32 I will run in the
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
God of peace make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ We need Grace's help in every good Work no Work is truly good but what grace helps us to Grace and Works agree sweetly in this Order Grace begins and Works follow Grace works on the Man and makes him a Worker Grace passeth on the Person and his Works and makes them accepted and the accepted Worker gives grace all the glory both of his Works and of his own and their Acceptance Whence his help comes thither his Praises go Lastly Grace helps in Extremities But of this in the last thing in the Text. This then is the first Exhortation Come to the throne of grace seeking helping grace Enlarge and heighten the sense of your Need and Weakness as much as you will the Supply to be had at the Throne of grace is sufficient Phil. 4.19 My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus And in Paul's Stile Glory and Grace change Names frequently Eph. 1.6,12,14 and 3.16 2 Cor. 3.18 Exhort 2. You must not only seek grace to help but when you seek it you must expect it The Text runs plainly this way The Apostle implies asking but expresseth finding and coming that we may find therefore we should come with expectation of finding The Spirit and Life of Prayer in Faith lyeth more in Expectation then in asking Unwise Christians let out the Life-Blood and vital Spirits of Prayer when they let their Expectations languish Here is a common but unregarded Error in Christians exercise When they set their Face to pray they make some Conscience of searching out their Wants they labour to improve that sight to the raising of fervent desires of a supply of them if they yet go higher to take in a sense of the fulness and freeness of that grace where their help is yet how rarely are they careful to raise up Expectations of that helping grace few can say as Psal 55.16 As for me I will call upon God and the Lord shall save me ver 17. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice Few can charge their Souls as he did Psal 62.5 My Soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from him See how the Prophet's Faith rose Micah 7.7 I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my Salvation my God will hear me Looking is a needy Act of Faith waiting is an expecting Act and assurance is the highest If you look to the Lord you may quickly know he is the God of your Salvation if you know him as the God of your Salvation and your God you will ask earnestly wait patiently and by the same Faith Prophecy a gracious answer What do you take Praying in Faith to be Jam. 1.6 It is not only to pray believing that we call upon the true God in the Name of Christ and for things agreeable to his Will it is not only that we believe that he is able to give what we ask but that he will give what is good But because his grace to help is not only good and always good but nothing is good without it Christians should beg grace with confident Expectations What means Christ's frequent answer to Men Matth. 8.13 As thou hast believed so be it done unto thee and Matth. 9.29 According to your Faith be it unto you Is it not to tell us that he measures out his Bounty to Men according to their believing Expectations from him John 11.40 Jesus saith unto Martha Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest believe thou shouldest see the glory of God Our way is if we could see the glory of God then we would believe Christ's way is just contrary we must first believe and then we shall see the glory of God We say if the Lord would glorifie himself in performing his Promises and in hearing our Prayers then we would believe strongly But this is interverting of Christ's Order Martha was a Believer in Christ and expresseth Faith several ways in this Chapter It appears in the joynt Message they sent to Christ ver 3. Lord behold he whom thou lovest is sick ver 5. Now Jesus loved Martha and her Sister and Lazarus A blessed Family and few like it all loved of Christ and doubtless lovers of Christ but they built more on his love to them than on their love to him like humble and wise Believers ver 21 22. Martha said unto Jesus Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not died Her Sister Mary said the same ver 32. It is likely that none ever died in Christ's Presence when he was on earth he cured all that imployed him But I know that even now whatsoever thou wilt ask of God God will give it thee Here was some Faith When Christ promiseth ver 23. that her brother should rise again she acts Faith as to the Doctrine of the Resurrection ver 24. I know that he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day When Christ goes on in preaching himself ver 25.26 and asks her of her Faith she answered bravely Yea Lord I believe that thou art the Christ the Son of God which should come into to the world ver 27. A Confession like Peter's Matth. 16.16 What then was wanting in this good Woman why doth our Lord put such an if thou wouldest believe to one that did believe so much and so well Because notwithstanding her Faith in Christ's Person as the Christ the Son of God the Saviour of the world notwithstanding her Faith of his power yet in this instance of raising Lazarus she expected nothing When Christ ver 39. bids take away the stone she said Lord by this time he stinketh for he hath been dead four days She that believed Lazarus should rise at the last day could not believe that he should rise after death had held him but four days Such is the very nature of Unbelief or of weak Faith in true Believers they can or rather think they do believe greater and harder things when not much tryed about them better and more easily than smaller and easier things that their Faith is called to a present exercise about Let all Christians in all their approaches to the throne of grace behold this as written on the open Gates to this Throne and hear it proclaimed by him that sitteth on it Said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest believe thou shouldest see the glory of God Some Believers are apt to think that a trembling fearing frame is fitter for them and that raising of expectation of good from God will prevent or hinder Humility and lying low before the Lord. But they are quite mistaken that think Faith and Humility are inconsistent They not only agree well together but they cannot be parted Hab. 2.4 Behold his Soul which is
come again Obs 2. Christians should pray before the time of need come for that grace that may help them when it comes The Prophet speaks of bearing for the time to come Isa 42.23 The Apostle 1 Tim. 6.19 of laying up in store a good foundation for the time to come So here Men must pray for the time to come Is any man afflicted let him pray Jam. 5.13 And because any Man may be afflicted he should pray before-hand 1. Because we know not but we may be surprized by a time of need Our Lord's Argument Mark 13.33 Take ye heed watch and pray for ye know not when the time is The Lord rarely gives particular warning of the time when special need is coming It ordinarily comes by surprize to us Death may but Sickness Losses and Affliction usually come on suddenly And surprizing Tryals are sore and searching ones 2. We should pray before a time of need come for often when that time comes we are thereby disabled for Prayer The distress may be such that even a Believer can do nothing The night may come when no man can work John 9.4 Pray much before it come 3. Because many Prayers have their answers delayed till a time of need comes Christians think that every day and hour of their Life is a time of need and so it is in some sense but there are some special Seasons of great need of which the Lord is the only Disposer and he fits such times with dispensings of that Grace that his People have many a day begged before There may be worse reasoning than this It may be there are some Blessings of Grace that I have oft sought and have not yet got that are reserved for me by the Lord against a time when I shall need them more than now I do Thus you see in the Scope of the Apostle in these Words that there is strong arguing for constant seeking of God's Grace You are either at present in a time of special need or if it be not present it may come Whatever case a Believer is in his Obligation is in a manner equal to this great Duty of coming to the Throne of Grace for Grace to help him as his Matters do require SERMON X. 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 YOU have heard that the gracious Exhortation in the Text to coming to the Throne of Grace is directed with respect to the getting of two great Blessings or of one under two Names God's Mercy and Grace Concerning this Grace I have spoken to 3 things 1. What this Grace is 2. What the finding of this Grace is 3. What is the Helpfulness of this Grace so found I also entered upon the fourth and last thing the Seasonableness of this helping Grace The Truth I am to speak to is this The Grace of God is specially helpful in times of special need My Work then is to shew What are those times of need 2. What the helpfulness of grace in them is Only I would usher in this Discourse with a general Consideration of the constant need that all stand in of God's Mercy and Grace And that I would branch into four We need God's Mercy and Grace as Creatures as Men as Sinners and as Christians and that always 1. As Creatures The native Notion of a Creature is that it is a contingent necessitous Being For his pleasure they are and were created Rev. 4.11 The Lord did not make all or any Creature because he needed them but he made them that they might need him He did not build this glorious Fabrick of Heaven and Earth as a House to dwell in or to contain him 1 Kings 8.27 But he made this World as a Stage on which to display his glorious Wisdom and Power and he made some of its Inhabitants Angels in the upper Rooms and Men in the lower to be Spectators and Praisers of his Glory It is not proper to say that Creatures needed their Being before the Creator gave it For when there was nothing but God there could be no need Need and Want is essential to a Creature and springs up with their Being As soon as the Creation receaved its Being by the word of his power it needs upholding by the same power Heb. 1.3 Our Lord Jesus upholds all things by the word of his power The whole Creation would fall back immediately into its Mother Nothing if the same power that gave it a Being did not every moment preserve it Would you have a joyful view of Heaven and Earth Look on all as in our Lord's Hand Why do the Heavens keep their Course Why doth the Sun shine so gloriously move so regularly and influence the Earth so virtuously with his light and heat It is because Christ upholds all things by the Word of his Power He is before all things and by him all things consist All things were created by him and for him Col. 1.16,17 Many are without Christ in the World Eph. 2.12 Man see daily the Works of Creation and Providence and never think on Christ as the Head of all But it is no wonder that Men that have no Eyes to see Christ in the new Creation of Grace cannot see him in the old Creation of Nature We as Creatures are needy of God's helping Grace and Favour for in him we live and move and have our Being Acts 17.28 In his hand our breath is and his all our ways are Dan. 5.23 2. Our need of God's Grace appears yet more as we are such Creatures Men. We are through the Bounty of God the most considerable part of this lower Creation Of Man some understand that elegant Phrase Prov. 8.26 the highest part of the Dust of the world But there is no earthly Creature needy of God's Grace but Man even in his natural Frame abstract from his sinful State The great Former of all things hath given to all a Being and to many of his Creatures no more To some of his Creatures he hath given Life a nobler sort of Being But to all living Creatures but Man he gives no more and they need no more they have not they need not eternal life When the Breath of the other living Creatures goes downward in the Word is Eccl. 3.21 there is an end of them But Man is created in that state that he must be for ever and therefore be eternally happy or miserable This State he is made in makes him vastly needy of God's Grace and Mercy 3. We grow yet more needy as Sinners Sinners are Creatures with this great blemish of Guilt Sin and Corruption A Sinner is needy of a Mediator to deal for him with God for he cannot deal with God for himself A Sinner is needy of the Righteousness of another to recommend him to God's Acceptance for he hath none of his own The Righteousness of a Sinner is a plain Contradiction And
was always in sound and perfect Health of Body For Sickness is a consequent of inherent Sin and Corruption of Nature and of that Christ had none Many particular Distresses we meet with and wrestle with that Christ knew not by his own Experience But this sad case of Temptation he knew and felt But ye may say if Christ had never been tempted had he not been able to succour them that are tempted Yes no doubt for no bounds can be set to his Divine Power as God What then doth his Experience of Temptation signifie to the Succour of the tempted Believer It is the Ground of his Sympathy with them and Sympathy draws forth his helping Grace It is a ground for the Faith of the Tempted to act upon How sweet is this thought to a Christian thus exercised I am indeed a tempted Believer but I have a Saviour that was tempted himself and remembers it still and pities them and will help them that are in that case that was once so grievous to himself 4. A Tempted Person is needy of God's helping grace because Sin came in at first by Temptation Temptation was the Door that sin came in by and entered into the world of Mankind How sin came in upon the Angels that fell is deeper than that we can know it And it is no great matter for us to be ignorant of it We know they are now the worst and most wicked and most miserable of all the Creatures and that originally they were of the most eminent Order as one well said The Lord wisely would not declare the nature of that Disease he was resolved never to cure And so we must leave it in the dark But as to Sins coming into the World of Mankind we have more light The Lord created the root of Mankind upright and perfect first the Man then the Woman in their created State there was no sin in either of them But Temptation was so applyed by Satan that it quickly begot sin This Argument the Apostle useth 2 Cor. 11.3 I fear lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ If Satan did prevail to bring in sin by Temptation upon the sinless and perfect what may he not do on sinners in whom he hath so much Interest and over whom he hath so great advantage by somewhat of his own in them 5. There is great need of the Grace of God in a time of Temptation because of the frequent sad Effects of Temptation unless present help of Grace be given Rarely doth a Temtation and our Hearts meet but some fire of sin is kindled I would name a few of those Effects of Temptation 1. Temptation doth often discover hid and unseen evil and brings it to light It brings forth that which the Person before the Temptation never thought was in him So it is with the Ungodly and the Godly themselves When Hazael was told by the Prophet Elisha what mischief he would do to Israel he said 2 Kings 8.13 But what is thy servant a dog that he should do this great thing But saith Elisha the Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be King over Syria Then thou wilt have Power and Will to do it What wickedness will not that Man do whom Satan-tempts and whom God leaves David fell dreadfully by Temptation And Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32.31 Howbeit in the business of the Embassadors of the Princes of Babylon who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the Land God left him to try him that he might know all that was in his heart When the Vessel is broach'd by a convenient Temptation that Liquor will come out that was never thought to be within When Herod feared John and observed or preserved him when on his hearing him he did many things and heard him gladly who would have thought he would have beheaded him Mark 6.20,21 But a convenient day came a day when Herod lay fair for Temptation and a day that Satan and Herodias and her Daughter his Servants laid the Temptation before him then the poor wretch was soon overcome But indeed it was more strange that such a King as Herod should hear such a Prophet as John Baptist preach than that he should murder him At least it is and hath been far more usual to bad Kings to slay Prophets than to hear them gladly Peter was so confident in his Courage that in a manner tho' against both Grace and good Manners he gives the Lie to his Master Matth. 26.31,35 Then said Jesus to them All ye shall be offended because of me this night ver 33. Peter answered and said unto him Though all men should be offended because of thee yet will I never be offended As if he had said Lord at least except me out of this All thou speaks of Because he would not take the general Warning Christ gives him a particular one ver 34. Jesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee that this night before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice Will not Peter believe Christ speaking so peremptorily and plainly No. ver 35. Peter said unto him though I should die with thee or for thy sake as John 13.37 yet will I not deny thee Likewise also said all the Disciples So loath and backward are even Godly Men to own that to be in them that they do not see and feel at present working in them These Words Peter and the rest spoke bating that awful fear that should have seized on them from such a warning as Christ gave them were Words of Duty and were doubtless the honest Expressions of their present thoughts Yet when the Temptation came Christ's Warning took place and their Resolutions vanished like Smoak They all forsook him and fled Peter followed afterward and denyed him shamefully The Voice of a Damsel overthrew this Man that had Courage to draw his Sword in his Masters defence against armed Men. John 18. He denyed he knew his dear Master when if he had owned him and himself as his Servant there was no danger John was there and at the Cross too without any harm 2. Temptation often brings on a great and fudden damp and eclipse on the work of God's Grace in the heart It is as the Smoak of Hell in the Soul that darkens the Room so that is Believer cannot see what of God is in him It is as Christ calls it Luke 22.31 A sifting a man as wheat Wheat and Chaff and Dust are then mingled together No Believer in this case can give such a clear and distinct Account nor have so plain a discovery of God's Work in him as before and after the Temptation Christians give the Devil the advantage he seeks when they judge of themselves and their State in the fit of a Temptation Act Grace diligently when in Temptation and try your State as carefully as you can when you are
out of Temptation 3. Temptation increaseth greatly and suddenly seen and known Corruption If Temptation come on a latent hid Corruption it may bring it forth but if it come on a known Corruption though it was not so powerful before Temptation will make it rage The Temptation came on Judas For as hateful as his name is justly to all Christians yet before he fell no Man suspected him only Christ knew him When Christ gave the Warning John 13.21 That one of the twelve should betray him All the eleven said Is it I and at last the Traitor said so and was answered Matth. 20.21,25 The lust the Devil acted on was his Covetousness He was a Thief a lover of Money and the Devil put him at last upon a Bargain that was his Ruin For a Servant to betray his Master and such a Master for a sinnen to sell the Saviour of all sinners that are saved for so inconsiderable a Summ after so fair a warning of his Sin and Ruin by it was a proof of the mighty power of Temptation over a Man The Apostle Peter chargeth Ananias thus Acts 5.3 Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost The filling of his Heart was Satan's Work as Peter saith Why then doth he ask the Man an account of or charge him with Satan's Action Because the Devil can fill no Man's Heart with a sinful purpose till the Man give way to and comply with the Devils working 3. What is that help that Grace gives to the Tempted We have heard how Temptation renders a Man needy of Grace now let us consider how this Grace can and doth help in this Case Paul in his Temptation 2 Cor. 12.7,8,9 betakes himself to the right course to Prayer to the Lord And thrice he besought the Lord that it might depart from him He is answered My Grace is sufficient for thee We would be apt to think that Paul's great stock of Grace and manifold Experience and his late extraordiry Enjoyment might have been sufficient to have supported Paul in his Conflict No they could not Our Lord saith not Thy Grace is sufficient for thee which I have abundantly bestowed on thee But my grace is sufficient for thee So the same Apostle exhorts another 2 Tim. 2.1 Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus And Eph. 6.10 There are many Enemies of the Grace of God because few are Partakers of it Such as have not felt the Power of it on their own Hearts will alway pick quarrels with the pure Doctrine of Grace Some cannot receave this plain Gospel-Truth that a Man must be constituted Righteous in the sight of God only through the Righteousness of another Person even Jesus Christ imputed to the sinner of Free-grace And some that own this Truth stumble again on this other Truth that the Sanctification of a justined Believer flows from the constant Supplies of Grace from Christ their Head and Root They think that there are Habits of Grace implanted in the new Creature and this is not to be denyed and if they guide well what they have received in the Grace of Regeneration they may live well and grow on to Perfection But it is not duly minded in Men's spiritual Exercise that no Stock of Grace was ever given to any Believer to take him off the Sense of his need of daily dependance on the original Grace in Christ Jesus But the greatest Receavers always act their dependance most humbly and see their need of it most clearly and find the benefit of that dependance most comfortably Observe also our Lord's Argument for the Encouragement of Paul For my strength is made perfect in weakness What is Christ's Grace in the Answer is Christ's strength in this Argument What is sufficiency in the one is making perfect in the other As if Christ had said to Paul I see the Devil is too hard for thy weakness but thy weakness supported by my strength shall be too hard for Satan Now see how Paul improves this answer Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my Infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me No wonder he glory in Christ and in Christ's Grace bestowed on him for that any Christian can do but this glorying in Infirmities is an exercise of Grace only found with such Fathers in Christ as Paul was Who is not humbled and afraid of his Infirmities Here is a Believer that glories in them but why and how that the power of Christ may rest upon me Infirmities as Infirmities have nothing in them to excite glorying But Infirmities as Opportunities for displaying of the Glory of Christ's Grace in helping under them are to be gloried in Christ acts on them and the sensible Believer imploys him therein Our Weakness is the Field his Strength is glorified in Whoever doth not own his Infirmities forfeits the Assistance of the Grace of Christ The Grace that helps in Temptation is Christ's Grace the imploying of him for it and drawing it from him is by Faith and should be the Christians Work How doth his Grace help the tempted Believer 1. In discovering of Satan's Wiles and Devices Eph. 6.11 He hath fiery darts ver 16. and he hath Wiles also His most dangerous Temptations are his most cunning ones This Serpent hath his Subtilty 2 Cor. 11.3 The less they be perceaved the more dangerous Temptation is And the more clearly they are seen the more easily they are overcome The Apostle owns this in 2 Cor. 2.9 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices Satan gets greatest advantage of them that are and because they are ignorant of his devices The case the Apostle speaks of is that of the incestuous Corinthian He had sinned greatly the Church had not resented it as they ought Paul in his first Epistle chap. 5. chargeth them for their want of Zeal commands them to cast out that scandalous Member The Lord blesseth that Letter and his Advice both to that Church and to the offending person Now here lay Satan's Device he that had puffed them up with Pride and Security in their former Carriage toward that Offender when impenitent seeks also to stir them up to an Uncharitable severity towards him when renewed again unto Repentance And of this kind are many of his Wiles He drives Men to extreams on each hand Thus many Professors are like the Devils Foot-balls kicked about from one extream to another and seldom are kept in the right midst The Devil keeps Men asleep in Sin as long as he can If they awake against his Will he runs them on despair if Faith be wrought in them he labours to make them turn the Grace of God into Wantonness The Instances of his Devices are innumerable The multitude and danger of his Wiles must be great if we consider 1. His created State A Spirit more knowing than Man A sinless Angel is a higher Creature than sinless Adam was 2.
By his Fall he hath lost Happiness and Purity but retains his Knowledge which his Corruption hath turned into Craft Malice and Wiles 3. His long Experience in cheating of Men. 4. That in Men that his Wiles are proposed to it is to the Heart deceitful above all things and desperately wicked Jer. 17.9 It is to the Old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts Eph. 4.22 Such a Devil dealing with such a deceitful Heart must have many dangerous Wiles Christ's Grace only can enable a Man to discern them and it should be much prayed for Many have been skilful in the Theory and Knowledge of the Doctrine of Satan's Wiles that have been notwithstanding prevailed upon by them A Man must know his own Heart well and observe its motions narrowly and be much at the Throne of Grace that would know Satan's particular Wiles on himself 2. Grace helps the Tempted in helping to hate the sin they are tempted to Many Believers though they cannot tell well whence the Wind comes that drives them whether from their own Heart or the Devil yet they know whither it drives them to Sin that they are averse from Tempted Joseph spake like a Man that had present assistance of Grace when he said Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God As far and as long as the sin tempted to stands black and ugly in the eye of the tempted Person so far and so long is the Temptation ineffectual Temptation prevails when the sin tempted to takes with the Heart and Will Jam. 1.14 A man is tempted i. e. successfully when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Sin was without him but near to him by the Temptation now it is within him and it is his sin The Temptation to numbering of the people took with David but his Command about it was abominable to Joab a Man far short of David's Grace if he had any 1 Chron 21.6 3. Grace can help the Tempted to resist and stand Eph. 6.13 No Man is overcome of Satan till he flee and yield Resisting is overcoming of him Jam. 4.7 Resist the Devil and he will flee from you 1 Pet. 5.9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith Eph. 6.16 Above all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the Devil They are Darts they are the Devils Darts they are fiery Darts there is an all of them yet by Faith you may be able to quench them all Why is so much said of Faith Because as Christ's strength is the Believers strength so Faith is that only in a Believer that acts on this Strength draws it in and acts in it Separate Faith from its Object Christ either in Justification or in Sanctification and it becomes an Imagination a Vanity a Nothing Now consider how cunningly Satan deals with Believers and how simply they are gulled by him in Temptation He perswades and often prevails with them to lay aside the Shield of Faith when they should mainly use it How foolish were that Man that would yield his Arms to an implacable Enemy Christ knew Peter's danger and provides graciously for it I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Luke 22.32 4. The helping Grace of God assists tempted Believers in preventing an utter Foyl by Satan and in recovering them from a begun Foyl So did Christ for Peter and Paul 2. Cor. 12.8,9 The Devil never gets all his Will on a Believer nor are any Wounds he gives to a Saint mortal in the issue whatever they be in their own nature in Believers Fears or in the Devil's Design All the Glory is due to the Grace that is in Christ Jesus Lastly Grace can rebuke the Tempter and call him off This Joshua the High-Priest needed and got Zech. 3.2 And the Lord said unto Satan who was standing at Joshua's right hand to refist him when he is standing before the Angel of the Lord ver 1. The Lord rebuke thee O Satan even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire This Mercy was the first thing in Paul's Prayer 2 Cor. 12.8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me This Messenger of Satan was of Christ's sending and giving There was given to me a thorn in the flesh a Messenger of Satan to buffet me ver 7. Lord save us from such gifts will Christians be apt to say there is no reason to pray for them if the Lord see them needful he will send them But it is comfortable that all the Devil's Assaults are of Christ's ordering He must have Christ's leave to tempt Luke 22.31 And our Lord when he pleaseth can and will call him off When Christ was tempted Matth 4. he resists all his Temptations by the Word as his people should at last he put forth his Divine Power ver 10. Get thee hence Satan c. Then the Devil leaveth him This we cannot do but Christ can do it for us It is a blessed Promise Rom. 16.20 The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you Amen Poor tempted Christians think that they are not only in Satan's Sieve and in his Hands but that they are often under his Feet But lift up your Heads by Faith on this Promise Compleat Victory is coming and the Faith of it should not only encourage you to resist but this Faith is a present Victory Faith is our Victory 1 John 5.4 The Believer not only shall be but is an Overcomer SERMON XI 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 Lord hath been pleased so to order and determine the State and Condition of his Children while they are in this Life that they shall be constantly needy This Dispensation we should submit unto with all quietness of mind not quarrelling with the Wisdom and Mercy of our God therein Yea more than Submission is called for There is a further Duty required though it be hard to perform it to take pleasure and to rejoice in this needy State that the power of Christ may rest upon us For as the Lord hath laid us or left us under manifold Necessities So hath he laid up and is ready to lay out of his Grace for helping us under them And surely such Wants as lay us open for those Supplies of his Grace will be found to have a great deal of Mercy in them in the issue The Exhortation in the Text implies that Grace can help in every time of need There are some times of need contrived by the Lord on purpose that the helpfulness of his Grace might the more shine and appear I was speaking last day from this Truth That there are some special necessitous Times in which Believers are specially needy of
know what is to be sick to be in great pain to faint and fall into a swoun which is a little Image of death as also the Heathen Poet called Sleep Death 's elder Brother But none knows what dying is It was a very sensible Word a dying Christian in this City spoke to my self when visiting him a few Hours before his Death No Man can tell another what dying is I feel I am dying but I cannot tell you what it is Death is a Path that you never trode before you never walked in it hitherto you may have thought your selves to have gone a good way in the Valley of the Shadow of Death but you never walked through it Paul died daily 1 Cor. 15.31 he was in deaths often 2 Cor. 11.23 Yet he was a living Man then when he said so and he dyed but once All new Tryals require new supplies of Grace And the Tryal of Death is quite new When we are tempted one day we may know what Temptation is thereby and be thereby fitted for the next but no past Experience can teach us fully what dying is 3. Dying is not only a necessary and new Tryal but it is such a Tryal in which a Man 's All is concerned for Eternity Immediately on Death follows Judgment Heb. 9.27 Death is the dark Trance betwixt Time and Eternity While we live we are in time when we are a dying we are leaving time and passing into eternity When we are dead we are quite and for ever out of time and are in eternity for ever If a Man miscarry in this Passage if a Man stumble in the dark Valley of death if he fall here he falls for ever I would not have people to imagine that the stress of their Salvation depends on their Frame when a dying For some Christians when near to death have neither the use and exercise of Sense or Reason much less of Grace But surely when the case of Mens Bodies permits Acts of a Man or of a Christian there is great need of grace to enable us to die well 4. Dying is a great Tryal of Faith Tho' we know not fully what dying is yet we may know so much of it as to be convinced that it is much harder to die in Faith than to live by Faith and yet living by Faith is the hardest thing we have to do in this World To trust in an unseen God to believe his unchangeable Love when we feel his Anger to trust his bare Word when we see no appearance of Performance but many to the contrary are no easie things to the hest Our frequent Experience of the difficulty and of our many failings in this daily Exercise of living by Faith may justly make us sensible of our need of great help of Grace when we shall be called to the new and more hard Work of dying by Faith To enforce this a little consider 1. Usually when death draws near to Men and they draw near to it the Eye of the Mind is clearer and the Conscience more tender and sharp-sighted in the review of their Life and Actions Many never saw their Lives well till they are just at the end of them And many Believers walk so as a spiritual review of their ways breeds no small Storm in their Consciences and Tryal and shaking to their Faith Though Death be a dark Valley yet great light of Convictions and Challenges springs up in it Wo to them that never knew till they are a dying what an awakened Conscience is Ways that are pleasing to Men when the evil day is put far away look frightfully on them when that day approacheth and is very nigh 2. A dying time is a time wherein the Devil is very busie He fetcheth then his last stroke on Saints and on Sinners He doth his utmost to secure the Damnation of Sinners that he may not lose them at last The Devil 's Deathhold of a dying Sinner is a strong one He also doth his utmost against Believers if not to marr their Salvation yet to hinder their Consolation The Devil 's parting Blow hath been dreadful to many a Saint It is a weighty Word Heb. 2.14 Where he is said to have the power of death It is true there it is said also that Christ overcame him and through death Death is properly and strictly in the Devil's Dominions Sin and Death are properly the Devil 's though the Lord hath the wise ordering of both he permits Sin and inflicts Death and Death lyes near the Devil 's great Prison Hell Through the Valley of death there are two Passages one leading to Hell and another to Heaven Most fall into the Pit others are brought through safe and sound by the Skill and Mercy of their blessed Guide Christ It fares here with Believers as with Israel and with Vnbelievers as with the Egyptians Heb. 11.29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry Land which the Egyptians essaying to do were drowned 3. Judgment and Eternity when near and seen at hand are awful things And a near view of them will try Faith greatly This view blows away the Presumption and Hope of the Hypocrite Job 27.8 What is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul Job 11.20 Their hope is as the giving up of the Ghost His Hope lived as long as he lived and when he dies it dies also Wo to them that have a dying hope a hope that cannot out live Death Christians are begotten to a living or lively hope 1 Pet. 1.3 He hath hope in his death Prov. 14.32 The Man's body dies but the Christian's Hope and Faith lives He lyes down in the Grave in hope Psal 16.9 He dies in that Faith he lived by Heb. 11.13 2. What is the helpfulness of Grace in this time of great need a time of dying I am speaking to living Men but to such as must die and know not how soon I shall only insist on one thing at this time The Grace of God helps Believers by strengthening of their Faith That is the help they mainly need in that hour And this help stands in these 1. When a dying Believer is helped by Grace to see death in Christ's hand There is a vast difference betwixt Death in the Devil's hand who hath the power of it and Death in Christ's hand who is Master both of Death and the Devil Betwixt a Man's seeing Death approaching and the Devil behind it and with it and a Man's seeing Death coming on him and Christ with it Paul's Triumph rose on this ground 1 Cor. 15.55,56,57 O death where is thy sting O grave or Hell where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. That by which Death stings Men is Sin unpardoned and God's Holy Law binding Sin and Wrath on their Persons Victory over both Sin
and the Law comes by Jesus Christ When this Victor and Victory in Christ is seen by a Believer Death is defied and despised as a sting-less overcome thing Much and strong Faith is needful to enable a Man to play on the hole of this Asp Christ reveals himself to John almost dead with fear Rev. 1.17,18 Fear not I have the keys of Hell and of Death Behold them in my Hand and behold me as the Lord of them Should a Believer in Jesus fear any thing that Christ hath the power of The bitterness of death is past to all Believers by Christ's death and Victory over it And if their Faith was strong their Fears would be small 2. To have Faith enabled to look through death and beyond death If a Man's Eyes be fixed on Death only and see no further it is Death to look on Death But when the Believers Eye of Faith is so quickened that he can look through the Trance of Death and see within the Vail where Christ is that is a blessed help fo Grace Christians Faith and Hope enters within the Vail Heb. 6.19 And a view within the Vail is specially desirable and useful when the Christian is walking in the Valley of the shadow of death Psal 23.4 3. Faith is helped when the dying Believer is enabled to cast his Anchor on God in Christ confidently in this last Storm This last act of Faith is a great one The more sensible a Man is that he is on the point of eternal Ruin the nearer he is to drop into Hell without divine help the more sensibly he acts Faith Then the clingings and graspings of Faith on Christ are sensible and strong When a Believer looks on himself and on his way and seeth nothing in them pleasing or staying to his Soul he looks into the dark Passage before him and its frightful to Heart and Flesh he looks on Judgment and Eternity as just at hand and his Thoughts are swallowed up with their Greatness In this case to stay his Soul and say with dying David 2 Sam. 23.5 Although my house be not so with God tho' my Heart my ways be not so with God as they ought to have been yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure and this all my salvation and all my desire requires singular help of the Grace of God To shut the Eyes and give the hand to Christ and to quiet the Mind by trusting our Guide in this last Step is a mighty Blessing I would conclude this Discourse with these four 1. It is a great Mystery of Faith and a great Tryal of Faith that the way to eternal Life should lye through the midst of this dark Valley of Death Our Lord Jesus Christ bought eternal Life for us by the price of his Blood he went through death to take possession of his Kingdom and Glory and yet his People must go through death to take Possession of the Gift of eternal Life If there were any allowed Room or Place for Prayer in this Affair how many and how earnest Prayers would we make to be delivered from going in this way to Glory But after a Life of Tryals Temptation and manifold Tribulations this last is still before us and we must pass through and set our Feet in the cold Waters of this Jordan ere we enter the heavenly Canaan After all the lively hopes of Heaven and sweet fore-tastes of it we have had after our Faith hath risen to a full assurance yet through death must all the Heirs of Glory pass 2. There is no Wisdom like that of preparing for this awful Hour Job 14.14 If a man die shall he live again all the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come I will think on it I will look for it I will prepare for it Men are wise or foolish according to their faithful diligence or unbelieving negligence in this preparing for death Many have bewailed their neglect never did any repent their diligence in this Work 3. There is no right and sure way of preparing for Death but by seeking saving acquaintance with Jesus If you set about the study of Holiness without Christ you mistake your way and will never reach your end But labour to be intimately acquainted with Jesus Christ and the Communications of his Grace will make you holy Death deals with Men and billets them into their eternal Quarters in Heaven or Hell as Men are in Christ or out of Christ Their Works according to which they are judged are but the Fruits and Effects of their different States These two different States of Men in this Life in Christ or not in Christ are the Foundation of the two different States in the next Life in Heaven or in Hell Tho' all in Christ are holy and all out of Christ are unholy 4. There is no Life truly comfortable but that which hath a comfortable prospect of Death and Judgment Never envy the condition of them who seem to be the only chearful Men in the World whom one quarter of an hours serious thought of Death and Judgment is enough to make them like Belshazzar at his great Feast Dan. 5.6 Whose countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loins were loosed and his knees smote one against another Amazement seized on Soul and Body How can a Man be said to live comfortably that dare not think of Death for fear of marring his comfort Miserable is that Consolation that cannot bear a serious thought of an approaching unavoidable thing This is the Wisdom and Mercy of the Lord to his People that their true Consolation doth not only stand and abide in the view of Death and Judgment but it ariseth from that view that is so terrible to all natural Men. This is the blessedness of Believers that his Grace allows them a right to and can give them a possession of And therefore we should come to the Throne of Grace for it Then you are happy Christians when serious thoughts of Death breed serious Joy SERMON XIII 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 YOU have heard of the helpfulness of the Grace of God in time of need both in geneneral and with particular instances of some special times of need The last whereof is the time of dying This I left at last day and would speak a little more unto it and then conclude all in a few Words Death is a Theme of great importance and of very obvious Influence If people would let it enter into their serious thoughts and would take a serious and steddy view of it they would quickly find more in it and about it than ever they did or could hear by all that is told them Next to the saving Illumination of the Holy Ghost with and by the Word there is no
better School for Men to learn weigh and duly to understand the things of God in than a frequent and near view of death What an edge would this put upon our Praying Hearing Worship and Walking Every thing that is done by Men as dying Persons is usually well done I shall only add this that there are some sorts of dying that are very desirable in which the Grace of God is very useful and needful 1. Patient dying Dying is not properly a Duty but a Suffering It is not our Act but there is a manifold Exercise of Grace called for in dying Never did any Man act in dying but Jesus Christ he could lay down his life and take it again John 10.17,18 We cannot lay down our Lives they are not our own We are bid keep them as long as we lawfully can and when the great Command comes Return we are to yield obedience to it It is a great Blessing to have Patience for dying and Patience in dying Heb. 10.36 You have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye may receave the Promise And we often need Patience most when just upon the receaving of the Promise We should run with patience the Race set before us Heb. 12.1 And must of Patience is usually most needful in the last Stage of this Race Patience should have her perfect work Jam. 1.4 And the perfect and perfecting Work of Patience is the last act of it We all know that usually death comes on by such steps as are grievous to the Flesh There are Pains Sickness and Languishings that are no small Tryals of Patience but these are in a manner but Tryals of the Patience of the Flesh There are other things about dying that Patience is tryed by as time and place and many Circumstances that it is no small or easie thing to be quietly submitted to Javob the Heir of the Promise goes down to Egypt to Joseph for Bread after he is starv'd our of the Land of Promise and must die in Egypt and leave his Family there where they were to be long and heavily oppressed as the Lord told his Grandfather Abraham Gen. 15.13 Moses must die on the other side of Jordan David must not see a Stone laid in the Temple Josiah must die in Battel and that by not hearkening to the words of Necho from the mouth of God 2 Chron. 35.22 But what of such sad Circumstances of dying did not our Lord himself die under a dark Cloud on his dear Father's Face and on his own blessed Soul My God my God why hast thou forsaken me were sad Words from the sad Soul of our dying blessed Lord. His Disciples forsook him the Sun forsook him Earth and Hell bandyed against him yet all was nothing to his Father's forsaking him How bitter was this to our Lord and yet how sweet is it to the Faith of Believers If you be called to die under a Cloud remember the Lord the Heir the Purchaser of Heaven went to Heaven in the greatest Storm that ever blew from Earth and Hell and Heaven on any man's Face at death Men are ashamed to express any quarrel against dying but there are many things about it that make us needy of much Grace to help to quiet submitting unto it both in substance and all circumstances attending it 2. Safe dying This is very needful and it is Grace's doing Many die Patiently as Men think that die not safely There are no bands in the death of the wicked sometimes Psal 73.4 Some go out of this Life to Hell more calmly than some of the Heirs of Glory pass to their blessed home Safe dying is to die without any hurt to the Soul that when the Cage of the Body is broken by death the Soul the Bird may take Wing and fly straight and safe to Heaven Death is the Believers 1 Cor. 3.22 as well as Life But what have we to do with death or death with us It is a black Boat that we must sail out of time to Heaven in And Christ steers the Boat and lands all Believers safely on Heaven's Shore This is all we have to do with death And when all the Passengers are brought over Christ will burn this ugly Boat Rev. 20.14,15 And death and hell or the Grave were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death And whosoever was not found written in the book of Life was cast into the lake of fire And then in the New Jerusalem there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away Rev. 21.4 Who would not venture to pass out of this bad World to that blessed Land under Christ's Conduct though sailing through the Gulf of death be unpleasant in it self to us Men for Gain will sail from one end of the Earth to the other through heat and cold and stormy Seas and Winds and manifold Perils in the probable hope of advantage But Balievers may be assured that they shall arrive at their Port. Never did a Believer in Jesus Christ die or drown in his Voyage to Heaven They will be all found safe and sound with the Lamb on Mount Zion Christ loseth none of them nay nothing of them John 6.39 Not a Bone of a Believer is to be seen in the Field of Battel They are all more than conquerors through him that loved them Rom. 8.37 3. It is very desirable to have an honourable dying It is a part of the Vanity of this World that many dote upon an honourable Burial Some respect indeed should be paid to the dead Bodies of Believers but honourable dying is a great deal more considerable than that Men call an honourable Burial Our Lord told Peter of his dying John 21.19 This spake Jesus signifying by what death Peter should glorifie God That is honourable dying that brings Glory to God Paul is confident of this as to himself Phil. 1.20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death The most honourable dying is dying for the Lord this Honour is not given to all his Saints All Saints die in the Lord and blessed are they Rev. 14.13 Our desire should be to be enabled by his Grace to hear our dying Testimony to Christ and his Gospel There have been strong Convictions given to the Consciences of Sinners wonderful Supports to the Hearts of surviving Saints by the honourable dying of some Believers Their example their words their very looks and Behaviour in the Shadow of death have been of great use to them that have seen and heard them 4. It is also desirable to have the Mercy of comfortable dying To have an entrance ministred to us abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.11 The Lord's